These comments from ECNF’s chairman, Ian Lord, have been posted in today’s Free Press together with articles from “The Scribbler” .
The Rossendale local plan requires a masterplan for the entire site reference H66 land west of Market Street, Edenfield which is estimated to yield 400 homes. We are surprised that the masterplan in the Taylor Wimpey/Anwyl consultation lacks any detail about the land in H66 in other ownerships. The Local Plan is quite specific that the masterplan must be for the entire site.
The consultation says 235 homes will be built in the developers’ first phase but omits the crucial information about the number of homes in their second phase. At the very least, the masterplan should indicate how many dwellings will be built and where and when.
The consultation period is only two weeks which is ridiculously short in the summer holiday season.
The developers suggest their scheme will be ‘community-led’. The fact is that their development is overwhelmingly opposed by local residents. A major concern is the impact on traffic of a 50% increase in housing in a village which already has significant traffic problems. This was recognised in the local plan which requires that before any development a Transport Assessment be prepared which demonstrates that all traffic issues can be resolved. The minimal comment on this subject in the masterplan infers that this is not a significant problem which is definitely not the case.
Our Forum would encourage residents to respond to the consultation, emphasising the deficiencies in the masterplan as it stands. Members of the public can make comments on the Taylor Wimpey / Anwyl Land master plan by e-mail – [email protected] or by completing an online questionnaire on the website – www.marketstreetmasterplanconsultation.co.uk .
Ian Lord
27th June 2022