Plans to build new family homes next to waste recycling company approved

Plans to build new family homes next to a waste recycling company have been approved by Salford city council.

The scheme for 71 new houses on land at Manchester Road West in Little Hulton was approved by councillors following a debate about road safety and the location of a children’s play area.

The homes will be made up of two, three and four-bedroom properties, for affordable rent and shared ownership but concerns were raised at the council’s planning committee about having children playing next to Kenny Waste Management and problems with crossing the A6 which is nearby.

‘Beyond belief’

Council officers revealed that in early April there were nearly 5,300 people on the council’s housing register in total but Conservative councillors said the thought of kids playing next to a waste management centre was “beyond belief.”

Cllr Karen Garrido said: “I feel it’s in the wrong place, it needs to be more controlled. I’m really quite concerned about that.”

Cllr Bob Clarke added: “Why would anyone stick a kids’ play area next to waste recycling? It’s beyond belief. We should be pointing that out to people. I wouldn’t let my kids play there. We need to do better.”

An odour assessment found that most of the areas of the development would only have a negligible impact from the waste firm’s operations, with just a few spots being slightly impacted.

New access road

The housing development is set to create a new access road from the A6.

It includes a £90,000 contribution from the developer towards two new uncontrolled pedestrian crossings on the road.

Cllr Clarke called for a controlled crossing to help increase safety on the street instead.

He said: “If we’re going to build houses and put people in, we need to improve the infrastructure. People need to be able to cross that road safely. I would like to see a controlled crossing at that point. People have the right to cross the road safely.”

But a council officer said creating a controlled crossing would cost upwards of £200,000.

Affordable homes

Councillors voted through the scheme to help create more affordable homes in the borough.

Cllr Mike McCusker, lead member for planning at Salford council, said: “It’s 71 affordable houses in an area where there are three hundred people on the waiting list and we’re in a housing crisis. This is not the greatest application I have seen, but on balance I am minded to move it.”

Other decisions taken at the meeting included refusing a retrospective planning application for a four-bedroom house of multiple occupancy on Stapleton Street, and the approval of an application for a single storey rear extension and excavation of front garden at a house on  Lower Broughton Road.

Pic copyright: Stonebond Properties (Manchester) Limited / Great Places Housing Group / James Industrial