First Choice Homes are proposing to build two houses on the land opposite Diggle Chippy. As this is one of the few green spaces left in the centre of the village the DCA feels it is important to retain it for community use.
The proposal is to build two, three bedroomed houses with off road parking on the land. They have support from the Housing Corporation who have accepted there is a need in the area. It has not gone as far as planning and they want to involve whoever is likely to be affected by the proposals.
Stuart Coleman, Chairman of the Diggle Community Association, says, “It is important to speak out if we want to continue to have a say in what happens in and to our village. If you agree/disagree with the DCA that this development should not take place then please attend the consultation and make your views and opinions known.”
Invitation to Diggle residents to attend the consultation:
Dear Sir/Madam,
Re: FCHO New Build consultation event, (Diggle)
First Choice Homes have been supported by the Homes and Communities Agency to construct 2 new homes within the Diggle area located at Huddersfield Road, Diggle. We are therefore pleased to invite you to attend a consultation session to be held at the venue, date and time below. The consultation session will enable you to view our Architects plans and layouts from which any comments or views would be gratefully received.
This has been scheduled as follows:-
Date: 10th October 2012
Time: 5:30-7:30pm
Venue: Diggle Band Club, Bankfield House, Huddersfield Road, Diggle, Oldham, Lancashire, OL3 5PJ
Representatives from First Choice Homes and our appointed Architects (Triangle) will be on hand during the event to answer any queries you may have regarding this matter.
This event will be held in the form of a drop-in session, so please feel free to attend at your leisure anytime between 5:30-7:30pm.
We look forward to meeting you on the day.
Yours sincerely,
Mike Leach
Assets & Development Officer
The land would be a perfect place for a memorial for Nicola Hughes. There isn’t anywhere else in Diggle that could be as suitable.
I agree, we have already been offered a bench with a plaque and a local dry-stone waller is interested in building a memorial.
I don’t live in Diggle, but feel strongly that green spaces are so precious. Building on every available inch of land in Saddleworth is not the way forward. Andrea’s idea about a memorial for Nicola Hughes on this piece of land would be a fitting tribute to a courageous young woman.
Ridiculous. We really dont want or need houses building on this green area. Residents use this area we need to make sure this dosent happen.
What a great idea for a memorial that would be very fitting.
As a local resident of Moor Crescent, where the build is proposed, it is an appalling idea.
The point made above is correct. As a village we need to protect all green areas. Is it worth getting a petition together from the residents as all the ones that I have spoken to are completely opposed to this development?
I have asked Oldham Council for minutes of meetings, land transfer details and how much the land was sold to First Choice for.
Here is the response.
1. Minutes of meetings.
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Oldham Council has a duty to
supply any information on request, unless there is an exemption. We
consider we cannot disclose the information you requested as we are exempt
Under S 43 of the said Act, regarding disclosure of Information as it
could prejudice the commercial interests of the Authority and/or First
Choice Homes.
2. When the transfer took place,
7th February, 2011
3. How much the land was sold for by the council,
The land was sold as part of a much larger portfolio which sold for
£231,292,273.39. We do not have an individual breakdown of the price for
the land between Huddersfield Road and Moor Crescent
4. The transfer of land deeds document. (PDF file has been attached)
The council would not give me any more information.
Any suggestions anybody?
This land is known as the village centre/village green. It is the location of our Christmas tree. Children play on the grass which I always believed was common land. Doesn’t planning permission have to be granted initially for a change of use to what is known as ocmmon land prior to a planning application to build. Diggle already has enough houses – please allow us to keep our village green.
Its an absolute disgrace that the piece of land is being discussed for building on. Just when will OMBC stop spoiling Saddleworth.
It’s fairly clear that most residents are opposed to this build, is anyone aware of any plans of organised ‘fight’ against this?
The following link is quite interesting…
http://legalshout.blogspot.co.uk/2008/06/how-to-fight-council-planning.html?m=1
I sent the following email to two contacts named at First Choice Homes… The more people with a voice sure the more they have to listen? The contacts are Sara.Smith@fcho.co.uk and Mike.Leach@fcho.co.uk
“Dear Mike/Sara,
I would like to take just a moment to express my complete disgust towards your proposed plan to build two new houses on the land off Huddersfield Road what is effectively the heart of the village. To even consider to remove such a central part of a community is totally unacceptable and uneffical.
There isn’t a single resident I’ve spoken to who is in support of these plans and for good reason. It is understandable that new homes will always be required and building such homes will always upset some people nomatter where they are proposed, however to propose to build on the only bit of ‘community open space’ in the centre of the village is been done for utterly the wrong reasons. I feel that such a project will have an ever lasting change on the village which is unwelcomed by all it’s occupants.
I can live with the innevitable mayhem which will be incurred during the building works due to building in such a tight space on a narrow road, on a junction. I can live with the inevitable impact this will have on the value of my property & I can also live with the fact that the already inadequate sewage network exactly on that section of the road will have further demand placed on it thus resulting in further flooding to mine and other properties caused by the gutters repeatedly overflowing.
What I can’t live with is a community which becomes less and less of a community, the loss of communal space which is the centre of the community, which has been part of the community for much longer then myself and other residents.
I strongly urge you to reconsider your actions and the impact this will have upon such a small community. With such a lack of facilities I would question that it was new houses Diggle needed however there is many more suitable locations to build new homes. I believe the land just round the corner on Ward Lane has also had planning permission to build, this land will be more intrusive upon my own house however it is a suitable location for building on and I can accept this.
Please can I take a moment to remind you of your ‘mission statement’ and your ‘values’ which you clearly embrace upon your website:
Our Mission Statement
“Working together to improve homes and communities, to make them places where people want to live”
Our Values
We are Open and Honest – We are trustworthy, transparent and responsive in all we do
We are Accountable – We report and review the performance of our services to ensure that they are effective and efficient with a focus on getting it right
We are Professional – We inspire confidence in our ability to deliver quality services, by being experts at what we do
We are Empowering – We enable customers, colleagues and partners to be involved in shaping and guiding our organisation and neighbourhoods
We are Innovative – We are not afraid to try new methods and ideas for delivering excellent services to meet changing needs
I suggest you think clearly about these, esspecially your mission statement. Progression of these proposals will not be living up to these, it will not be ‘working with this community’, it will be the opposite of making it a community where people want to live.
Please live up to your values and be trustworthy, accountable and enable your customers to be involved in shaping our own neighbourhood.
I kindly request that I am personnaly kept up to date to with the progress of your proposals and of any meetings where my attendance is possible. “
We wish to add our support to the list of people that object to the proposed building of property on the village green. This has long been an open space that has been part of the community – for many years we have erected our Christmas tree – and has played an important part in the social life of the village.
I think the area should be preserved for use by the Diggle Community and the idea of a memorial to Nicola and her colleague is a good idea. I strongly object to houses being built on the land.
Is there an online poll / petition that can be created for this ?