Call to upgrade busy road and ditch new housing estate plan

A Saddleworth business owner has called on developers to abandon plans for a new housing estate and instead focus on improving road safety at a dangerous junction. Jane Dronsfield, who runs K&M Global from Wall Hill Mill and operates a nearby swimming school, says the current access to Mill Lane via Wall Hill Road poses serious risks to the 300 weekly visitors to her swim school.

The narrow country lane has seen multiple incidents of HGVs getting stuck while trying to turn into the site from the A62. Plans submitted in January would create a new road opening further down Wall Hill Road as part of wider proposals to demolish the mill and build 26 homes, but Mrs Dronsfield wants the road improvements delivered without the housing development.

She points out that safer junction plans were drawn up as far back as 2005 but never implemented, despite the land being under the applicant's control. The site previously had planning approval for housing several years ago, but the permission was surrendered due to historic industrial contamination, and the site didn't sell.

The proposal has divided the community, with 20 public comments received-seven objections citing traffic concerns and 12 in support who see it as improving an 'eyesore' brownfield site. The Greater Manchester Ecology Unit has requested further wildlife information before any decision is made.