Cowlishaw Abattoir Redevelopment, Oldham

250-residential unit Reserved Matters application approved

Working closely with land promoter Grasscroft and planning consultant Avison Young, Urban Green developed the strategic site promotion and provided written representations under the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework (GMSF) on behalf of the private landowner. Having achieved a draft allocation at stage one of the GMSF, the strategy for stage 2 was to engage with Oldham Council to promote a comprehensive solution across the site whilst also developing a strategy for an initial phase for an outline planning application. Urban Green provided masterplanning and urban design, landscape architecture, arboriculture, ecology and landscape planning services.

Meetings were held with Oldham Council’s planning and highways officers and public consultation with the parish and ward councillors to formulate the outline planning application.

The site presented a variety of technical constraints, including being designated as OPOL, the three on site SBI’s and two Public Rights of Way. These had to be duly considered to create a comprehensive and achievable masterplan.

A multidisciplinary approach was adopted to bring forward the southern parcel of land (approximately half the site) to an outline planning application for phase 1, a 9 hectare site comprising up to 250 residential units. The LVIA was delivered as an ES chapter following the considerations of EIA. The comprehensive package included the Design and Access Statement produced by Urban Green. Outline consent was granted in August 2020.

A Reserved Matters planning application was subsequently submitted in spring 2021, with Urban Green working closely with housebuilder Redrow to develop the detailed package.