Row over Hooten Lane affordable housing erupts at planning meeting

Plans for Bellway Homes’ development on 11.5 acres of land formerly occupied by the Moss Bank Nurseries on Hooten Lane in Leigh, close to the A580 East Lancs Road, were approved by just one vote by the town’s planning committee.

It was the second time the plans were before the committee after Bellway was asked to ‘up’ the number of affordable properties in the initial proposal from eight per cent.

The new application was for 10 percent affordable homes, but that did not satisfy a number of councillors who pointed to Wigan’s policy of a 25pc target for new developments in the borough.

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146 homes have been approved at the site (Image: Wigan Council)
In a meeting that lasted six hours, Coun Fred Walker said: “It’s very easy for us to have a policy that says 25pc affordable housing.

“The reason we do that is because people need it. The consultation we go through is about what we can do for the people of the borough. That [25pc] needs to be our starting point.

“Developers say Wigan is a cracking place to be selling property. If we start diluting that by saying that affordable housing doesn’t matter that much we will finish up making a nonsense of ourselves and our policy.”

And he added: “Once someone gets away with it, they will all want to do it. We’ve got to make a stand on this and be really clear that we are not going to accept these stops to affordable housing.”

A street scene of the proposed Hooten Lane homes (Image: Bellway Homes)
Independent Network Coun Stuart Gerrard agreed, pointing out that there are more than 14,500 people in Wigan on the waiting list for social housing.

“They can’t afford private renting,” he said. “10pc? I’m pretty sure we could get it up to 25pc. Another way to see this is to flip it and say the development in 90pc unaffordable. 

“We need to look after our own people and ensure there is housing for them. I can’t agree with this.”

Coun David Wood said the development would have only 15 affordable properties. “They are trying it on, I think. I’m not going to vote for this.” 

The homes will be built at the site of the former Moss Bank nurseries (Image: Google Maps)
However, Wigan’s assistant director of planning and regeneration David Proctor said that there was a clause in the housing policy stipulating if it could be demonstrated that the 25pc threshold was ‘not viable’ developers could go below it.

Coun Laura Flynn suggested that the decision be deferred, but was told it was not possible. 

Clerk to the committee Simon Ward told the disaffected councillors: “It’s not really for us to negotiate with the developer.

“We do think the case has been made for special circumstances. It’s not about making a stand against developers. 

“There’s a specific provision in the policy that takes viability into account. I’m struggling to see how there is evidence that you can put forward that this is contrary to the policy.

“I think it would be an unreasonable refusal on that basis. If it was to go to appeal we would lose and face costs amounting to tens of thousands of pounds.”

After that, Coun Paul Blay said: “We’ve no option. Our hands are tied, we have to approve it. Maybe it’s the policy that needs changing.

Coun Flynn added: “We desperately want affordable housing, but in terms of this application we have to approve it.”

A report to the committee said that the application site is designated as Safeguarded Land (land safeguarded for future development needs), and is identified as part of the borough’s five-year housing land supply. 

It said that although previous plans for residential development on the site had been refused, those applications were submitted about 30 years ago.