Plans to build 46 homes on Vaughan Street, Royton

An application by Great Places Housing Group sent to the council proposes to transform a vacant plot of land and car park on Vaughan Street into a development of 46 family homes.

The brownfield site spans 1.3 hectares where the former school, Our Lady's RC High School, once stood.

Catering to an estimated 188 people, the proposal seeks to develop 12 two-bedroom homes, 30 three-bedroom homes and 4 four-bedroom homes, each equipped with an electric vehicle charging point, a bicycle shed and at least two parking spaces, containing 90 car parking spaces across the development in total.

The homes would all be available for affordable shared ownership housing

A demonstration of how the houses would look, with some being detached or semi-detached (Image: Oldham Council)

The application suggest the estate would be fully accessible by the existing entrance off the A664 Broadway which leads into a car park next to a play area.

It hopes to make the area "more neighbourly" while improving the street scene of Broadway and providing some well-needed affordable homes that are in high demand.

Developers also suggested that the provision of affordable housing should weigh in favour of the plans being granted as it hopes to prop up the council's local housing supply, support the borough's regeneration vision and transform a vacant brownfield site into use for families.

However, the site is also in close proximity to a number of schools, including St Aidan and Oswald RC Primary School, St Anne's CE Primary School and Oldham Academy North which some residents have said makes the surrounding roads "gridlock" at school drop-off and pick up times.

Vaughan Street is accessible off Broadway (Image: Google Maps)

The site is also close to Shaw Road End Park, a car park, residential homes on Oldham Road and is within walking distance to Royton Local Centre, Royton Local Centre and Royton Medical Centre.

Royton Medical Centre has only recently come under fire from both patients and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for falling below expectations and legal standards of care.

The surgery said it was grappling with high patient demand and scarce resources since the pandemic.

But in support of the application, documents assessed by Hive Land and Planning as well as MPSL Planning and Design LTD argue that there are sufficient local amenities within a 450m radius of the site, having found an abundance of greenspaces.

And while the plans did recognise that the development would be deficient in parks, places for children and young people and outdoor sports provision, it said it would be an attractive residential area that would "undoubtedly" contribute to the "popularity and demand of Royton as a place to live".

There is only one public objection to the plans on the council website so far, which claims the area is "gridlocked" after 3pm due to the number of schools in the area.

The objector added: "Royton has been destroyed by all these new houses.

"We can't get doctors or dentist appointments and schools are already over-crowded."

More people have made their feelings know on social media.

Those who oppose the site believe the development would make current problems worse, such as a lack of GP appointments, dentists, school places and nurseries and add to the existing "chaotic traffic" issues.

However, one man said that the development would support local businesses and jobs and keep Royton families in the area.