A BUILDER is under fire for allegedly breaching planning regulations after work has begun on the controversial Backfield development in Ashton.
The Save the Backfield Facebook group fought to retain the 0.9-acre plot in Waterloo as a green space by having it listed as an asset of community value.
But after Tameside Council rejected the application, Darsons Homes moved in to begin work on building five new homes for which planning permission had previously been approved.
Residents claim issues began from the start, pointing to the developer erecting a fence around a large part of the perimeter which they claim blew down within 24 hours endangering them.
David Broadbent, who launched the residents’ Facebook group, accused the developer of not following the plans that were approved by Tameside Council and showing “total disregard” to six of the planning conditions.
He pointed to all 12 trees on the site being felled whereas the plan showed Tameside Council approved the removal of only four.
David added Darsons Homes’ own management plan stated trees to be retained on the site would be protected, adding this has had a detrimental effect on birdlife.
He is also worried about the lack of security with the site entrance left open so anybody can walk or drive in, pointing out they have created a dangerous shelf edge which anyone could easily fall down.
The management plan, David explained, said ‘the developer proposes to remove the majority of the grassed surface on the development site and cover it with MOT crushed stone to provide a hardstanding for site vehicles and for the storage of site cabins and other associated materials’, but he argued it also contains brick.
The fence surrounding the site, he continued, is not of the high quality shown in the approved plans. It is merely chipboard, thrown up roughly. It has no top and bottom edges, and it has just been roughly painted, not the glossy finish shown in the planning conditions photo!
David again cited the planning condition: “The hoarding will be painted in the developer’s corporate colour (or an agreed colour) and kept in a clean and tidy condition throughout the duration of the works. Suitable care and attention will be taken when erecting the hoarding and associated posts not to damage any trees or their roots located within the vicinity.”
He also pointed out Darsons Homes are not keeping the footpath and surrounding area ‘in a neat and tidy condition’.
“They have left rubbish on the public footpath, including paint tin lids. There is no wheel wash so mud and diesel is caked into the road and pavement surfaces of Grove Street and in the entrance to Grovewood Close,” he said.
David added contractors are parking their vehicles on Grove Street and leave diesel engines running while sitting in them, eating lunch, leaving the air thick with fumes.
He continued: “They are parking their vehicles on the Grove Street pavement and pedestrians have to walk in the road, this includes those pushing small children in buggies.
“There are no toilet facilities and have been seen defecating on the land which has been designated an asset of community value.”
David also pointed to Darsons Homes’ own management plan which stated: “All contractors’ vehicles will park on the site within the designated parking area. It is envisaged there will be no more five staff on site at any one time and the parking facility will reflect this. There will be no contractor parking on Grove Street or other adjoining highways. As this is a relatively small construction site, there will be one dedicated space provided for visitors next to the site staff spaces.”
David added Darsons Homes have already ignored six of the planning conditions approved by Tameside Council and have only been on the site three weeks.
He said: “Tameside Council need to take action to ensure that planning conditions are adhered to.
“The loss of ‘Backfield’ to our community has been an enormous blow. It is as badly needed for our health and wellbeing as it always has been.
“Residents should not have their health and wellbeing further damaged by this company, which does not show a duty of care to residents and the environment.”
Householders from the Grove Street and Lindisfarne Road areas have spent several years fighting to Backfield an open space for recreation and community use.
However, a planning application for five homes on the land by Darsons Homes was controversially approved by Tameside Council in December 2018.
Residents argued the land was protected green space and was left as a deliberate feature of the estate when it built in 1981 as a place for children to play and for recreation.
The land was sold by the council to a private developer in 2017, to the dismay of more than 500 residents who petitioned against it.
They attempted to take the planning application to a public inquiry, but this was denied by the Secretary of State.
Despite the permission for the development, and the sale of the land, they were still hoping it can be returned to the community by the local authority.
The Save the Backfield group had nominated the land to the council to be officially listed as an asset of community value at the end of October.
However, in a decision notice, the borough’s solicitor Sandra Stewart confirmed that only the portion of land the developer had already agreed to retain as open space will be given community value status.
The application for the larger remainder of the plot – where the four-bedroom homes are due to be constructed – was rejected.
The notice stated: “A building or land will be of community value if the council is of the opinion that its actual current use, which is not ancillary use, furthers the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community.
“On the information provided, the council is not of the opinion that the land (other than the part of the land which is being left undeveloped) is land of community value.
“For that reason, the land (except the part being left undeveloped) should be added to the council’s list of unsuccessful applications.”
According to the nomination, the group wanted to use the ‘horticultural skills of those closely involved’ to enhance the area for residents by creating a wildflower meadow and improving the provision for children to play on the Backfield.
Darsons Homes bought the Backfield site from Tameside Council for £160,000 in 2017 and put it up for auction and in November it was sold for £327,000.
When the buyer withdrew their offer, Darsons Homes decided to proceed with the development themselves.
Darsons Homes does not have telephone or email contact details, or even a website, just a mailing address in Halifax.
The Correspondent visited Backfield and left contact details for the company to contact the newspaper.
Cllr Vimal Choksi, who has been in contact with Darsons Homes, also asked if they would speak to The Correspondent, but he said they declined the offer.
Regarding the complaints by residents, Cllr Choksi added he had forwarded them to Tameside Council’s planning department for them to investigate.
A Tameside Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the complaints and concerns of residents, which we are investigating in relation to breaches of planning control and will be taking such necessary and expedient action.
“However, we cannot go into further detail at this stage in order not to prejudice any enforcement powers.”
This seems to be a very good un biased journalistic report. The residents of the estate that contained “The Backfield”, had been told when purchasing their houses, 40 years ago, that this land formed part of the estates planning agreement, when the estate was being built. As a result, residents who lived on the three sides adjoining it and throughout the estate, believed it to be a children’s play area , for the use of the residents children. To be used in perpetuity. They all paid a percentage of their house price to enable it to used for this purpose. In the 40 years that passed many residents moved on, many however remained. Tameside Council decided to sell this little plot of land and in their minds did nothing wrong. They advertised its sale by auction in the Reporter newspaper for two consecutive weeks, who reads this paper now? The advertisement board placed by the auction house apparently lasted on site 1 day. It was only by accident that the resident mentioned, accidently stumbled on the fact, that it was to be sold. It was sold by stealth. The petition had over 500 individual names, not families making up the numbers, genuine local people. All of these people were not aware of the impending sale, until told by the resident, who then went on to form a Facebook website, “Save the Backfield”. The views of the residents lambasted the Council for their underhanded dealing with the sale. Please read through the comments made on this Facebook site. Despite all these objections the land was sold to a newly formed company, based above a telephone repair and sales shop, in Halifax. This company has no contact details for the public to get in touch, has no email address, no telephone number, or website, they appear to have not built any houses previously. The fight goes on, as this reporter infers, the whole area is a mess and the land razed.it has been devastated by bulldozers. Only two of the local residents on this whole estate have spoken in favour of this development. They are not thinking of the families that could have enjoyed this open green space that had been used by the residents for over 40 years. The Company has failed to comply to several of the imposed conditions of build. Yes we do need housing, but at the time of writing there are over a thousand empty houses, of sorts in the Tameside area, Brownfield sites remain undeveloped in all parts of the Borough. So why, other than greed did Tameside sell this small piece of land? Yes, I too am a resident and it is not a matter of NIMBY, it is the loss of this vital green open space, an unnecessary loss in this current climate..