A CONTENTIOUS plan to turn a Stalybridge property into a children’s home has been refused after it was deemed it would create ‘unacceptable risk of danger and inconvenience to other road users causing significant harm.’
More than 40 people objected to the proposal to convert the house on Gallowsclough Road into a facility that would house a maximum of three service users.
But Tameside Council has said no, mainly because of the extra journeys that would be made by staff and visitors using a notoriously tight junction with the main Mottram Road.
In a report, officers state: “The proposed change of use of the property would generate additional vehicle trips above that of the current use on a restricted access road.
“These would have an unacceptable impact upon highway safety, particularly at the junction of Gallowsclough Road and Mottram Road.
“The increase in movements at this junction would result in additional manoeuvring and queuing along Gallowsclough and Mottram Road, creating an unacceptable risk of danger and inconvenience to other road users.
“The substandard nature of the access arrangements is likely to result in vehicle conflicts (queueing) and further disruption to the significant detriment of the amenity of existing residents whose amenity is already compromised by the access arrangements.
“Access to Gallowsclough Road off Mottram Road is hazardous with cars unable to turn in one manoeuvre off Mottram Road heading from west to east and this was observed during officer site visits.
“Cars were observed having to reverse on to Mottram Road before being able to drive on to Gallowsclough Road.
“The majority of the vehicles managed the manoeuvre through positioning their vehicle centrally to Mottram Road to allow a wider approach, against examples of vehicles not positioning the vehicle centrally having to perform additional turning movements back on to Mottram Road.
“It is assumed in this case that the drivers were not familiar with the junction and not aware of the highway safety issues that could result in reversing back on to Mottram Road.
“The increased coming and goings would exacerbate the existing access arrangements and on highways grounds have an unacceptable impact on highway safety due to the additional standing and turning vehicles at the junction of Gallowsclough Road and Mottram Road, creating an unacceptable risk of danger and inconvenience to other road users causing significant harm.”
Salford-based Dribben Investments, whose director is Ashley Dribben, applied to Tameside Council to convert the residential property.
A maximum of three seven-17-year-olds would be housed there and most carers would follow a rolling schedule of ‘two days on, four days off’, for example, working a shift from 7.30am to 11.00pm, then completing a ‘sleep in’ shift of 11.00pm to 7.30am.
Documents supporting the plan stated: “The care provided is designed to replicate a family environment as best as possible in a family home where they feel safe, and not a large residential institution which cannot provide this environment.
“The children living at the property will participate in daily activities such as cooking meals with the adults, enjoying outings like trips to the cinema, restaurants, or parks, and experiencing the childhood they deserve.”
However, a series of objections were lodged, with claims the area is unsuitable for this type of development, it would be running a business from a domestic property, the proximity to local green land could have an environmental impact and it conflicts with the perceived amenity of Gallowsclough Road for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and dog walkers.