Bellway’s Burgess Farm plans return to committee

The housebuilder’s proposals for up to 209 homes on Burgess Farm off Hilton Lane will go before Salford’s planning committee for the third time, again with a recommendation to approve.

Bellway is planning to build the homes on a 16-acre plot, formerly playing fields and bordered by a development by Peel to the east and a nature park to the west. The land is allocated for around 200 homes under Salford’s Local Plan. Of the 209 homes to be built on the site, 42 are to be designated as affordable.

On a neighbouring plot, Peel, Redrow, and Bloor are delivering 350 properties; these received planning consent in 2015.

Bellway secured the site after it was put up for sale by Salford City Council around four years ago. It was formerly used as rugby and football pitches by St George’s High School in the 1980s and early 1990s.

A series of objections have been put forward against the proposals, with 65 objections received from residents as well as three objections from Peel; these primarily focus on a loss of green space, and especially an increase in traffic; traffic assessments suggest the junction of Hilton Lane and Newearth Road near the site is “already over capacity”, while objectors also argued the mini roundabout was “dangerous and not fit for the amount of traffic using it, without the additional traffic proposed” as part of the development.

The scheme has twice been before Salford’s planning committee, first in May and then in July, but a decision was deferred both times. In May, the application was pushed back with requests for an updated Section 106 agreement, while in July a decision was postponed “due to some documents on the electronic planning file not publishing to the [planning] website”.

Bellway’s plans are again recommended for approval at this week’s meeting, this time with an updated Section 106 agreement.

This is to include £275,880 towards bus services; £252,900 towards open space; a £170,570 sport pitch contribution; £150,000 towards public realm; an education contribution of £581,000; £10,000 towards cycle parking facilities at Walkden railway station; £48,000 towards improvements to the Newearth Road and Hilton Lane mini roundabout; and a 20% affordable housing provision on site.

Salford’s planning committee is due to make a decision on the scheme on 25 July.