The A58 Halifax Road is at the top of the image, with Smithy Bridge Road at the site's right-hand edge. Credit: planning documents

Taylor Wimpey gets ball rolling in Littleborough

Planner Turley, working for the housebuilder, has lodged a screening report as it prepares a 199-home application on land off Smithy Bridge Road.

The site sits west of Smithy Bridge Road, a key route between the A58 and the popular Hollingworth Lake, also housing Littleborough’s railway station.

According to Turley’s report, the proposed development will comprise a mix of houses from two-bedroom up to five-bedroom.

Working for Taylor Wimpey Strategic Land, Turley has lodged an environmental impact assessment screening report with Rochdale Council for the 35-acre site, as it seeks to gauge council views on development in the area.

A new access point from Smithy Bridge Road would be required, while initial plans include pedestrian connections to Holland Street and Brooklyn Avenue, and the rerouting of an existing public right of way.

Subject to planning, initial site works could start next year, with the first houses to be occupied in 2024 and full completion for the project scheduled for 2027.

The site is currently grassland and is bounded to the north by housing on Greengate, to the south by the River Roch and to the west by Tarnside Close housing.

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A nightmare waiting to happen

By Stephen Goggins

Utterly ridiculous, a large development on this scale and the only access is of Smithy Bridge Road, why is there no access from Albert Royds St

By David Rawlinson

At least we already know what it’ll look like, given that every single site built out by the major four housebuilders all look the same.

By Anonymous

Can’t believe anyone thinks this plan is viable. Traffic access is already a massive problem. Only needs one road closure to create chaos.

By 56 years a resident

Agree entirely with comments and that of my (nearly) namesake. Traffic already horrendous on Smithy Bridge Road and Wildhouse Lane, through to M62. Add in other developments planned including 171 homes on the Akzo Nobel site and the link road through to Albert Royds Street is vital to balance the situation out.

By Dave Rowlinson

Every time you cover green land diversity is reduced as is carbon storage . This is another destructive action in waiting.

By Anonymous

Jesus.. already stuggling to get into a dentist! Kids been sent miles away to school! Takes an hour to get home from Rochdale to Littleborough after work! How many more houses do we need in our small village??

By Anonymous

Total gridlock will ensue.

By Rochdalian

Yet more homes on greenfield sites, no extra infrastructure, A 58 already a nightmare and the only alternative to Yorkshire if the M62 is closed, schools full, doctor full, how many times do local people have to complain before the planners, councillors and builders listen!

By Jan local resident

This is ludicrous. The traffic is horrendous already. It breaks my heart that they will destroy a beautiful section of land that is bursting with wildlife.

By Anonymous

Pointless build- no infrastructure for the local people never mind 199 extra familes, no doctores/dentist /schools etc what a ridiculous idea to plough more houses in the area, roads are a joke be fatser to get out an walk most times

By Anonymous

Proper housing scheme, get it built

By Cal

Cal – you like schemes like this but are always the first to complain about traffic congestion. Perhaps you could explain your position?

By Anonymous

Since when did volume house building create ‘proper housing’ rather than under sized over priced identikit boxes devoid of a character and proper infrastructure?

By Noddy

Halifax Road is busy enough now, it will be a nightmare afterwards! Littleborough is one road in, one road out! This will cause chaos

By Anonymous

There are plans for over 600 houses in a half mile radius. We don’t have the infastructure for this many houses and thats without the Ones planned on the Akzo site. Total madness for travel and wildlife. Over 600 protests that we can’t view.

By Cath Diamond

Hope the council do the right thing for once and object! Stop this massive developments which are ruining our landscape, adding additional pressure to our already overloaded infrastructure and adding to our already overcrowded roads. When will common sense prevail?!?!

By Anonymous

Smithy Bridge Rd is busy on a good day ! What with roadworks and the gates at the crossing not working on a regular basis , won’t be able to get anywhere if more houses are built , especially as they are planning on building a lot more on Hollingworth Road

By Anonymous

Does this set a precedent for planning on the green belt.

By Anonymous

There aren’t any quiet roads in GM and there is a housing crisis… Can the nay-sayers suggest which areas are suitable for more housing where the locals won’t complain?

By harpisord

Totally ridiculous. The people that live in the village know the problems. The infrastructure can’t cope already. Doctors, dentists schools .what about air pollution as there is no decent public transport .

By Anonymous

There is to much traffic as it is the road network will not take all this building of these houses which by the way is destroying dog walking paths and green fields and by the way we’re are all these people going to go to school and GP surgery’s and we’re is all the traffic going to go wrong there are to many houses here all ready

By Dale Webster

Before Taylor Wimpey builds any houses on Greenfield sites they should be told to clean up all the brownfield sites they have and build on them . Never mind waiting until the government ups the grants to help with the cleaning . Every one of these developers isn’t building on Greenfield because there’s a housing shortage they are doing it because its a big money earner . Littleborough has had more than its fair share of development now and all without any improvement to the infrastructure. Doctors,dentists ,schools and roads are all full !

By Brownfield first .

Smithybridge Road is congested enough when people are going to work and returning home. It will be even worse when the new builds are on the Akzo site. There are three roads leading to the Lake and estates are being built on all of them. God help us all in an emergency!

By Anonymous

Our roads are already gridlocked. The A58 cannot take any more traffic without a full relief road.

By MRS Brandish

The area is far too busy as it is. Smithy Bridge Road can’t take more traffic, especially at school run times and rush hours. School places are at a premium as are other public services. The planning department need to refuse these ridiculous plans and concentrate on brown field sites. The old Dunlop site is huge – use that before spoiling the few village areas. Disgusting.

By Anonymous

No thinking what so ever from the council as per- theres no new dentist/doctors and schools for the kids locally never mind the potential of 199 families, traffic is a nightmare now from time to time so will just make that alot worse, not to mention again using up the countryside, absolutely stupid idea- more for the gain of ridiculous council tax revenue id say, absolutely no infrastructure for any of the new plnned housing estates

By Anonymous

Absolutely disgusting, the road structure in this area cannot cope with any more traffic from so much housing. It should be thrown out.

By Gillian Whitehead

More houses being built this area is
Gridlocked with the traffic we have already. Then you won’t to open up Holland street and Brooklyn Ave for the public. This area does not need the public walking through it safe for children play and we know most people that live here we bought our house because it was safe and quite. Keep your public right of way and leave this area as it is. The access to the site off Smithybridge is going to cause more traffic problems. This week has been a nightmare with the three way traffic lights at the top of Smithybridge road it’s a good job it’s school holidays.

By . Karen Lancastet

Complete disaster waiting to happen…the area cannot sustain this plan and with the amount of Brownbelt land available in Rochdale this is not considerate of the greenbelt or existing community

By Marc O’Driscoll

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