CAMPAIGNERS say they are devastated after a judge threw out their appeal for a judicial review and gave a new housing development the green light.

First Choice Homes Oldham was given planning permission to build 28 new rent-to-buy houses on land off Keb Lane, in Bardsley, in November.

Residents had furiously opposed the development and Deborah Barrett, who lives next to the proposed site, submitted a judicial review claim in a bid to overturn the decision.

Tensions were raised further in early January when a contractor cut down trees at the site while the judicial review application was still pending.

Two of the trees were protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs).

First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO) denies it authorised the felling, despite residents’ claims to the contrary.

Opponents of the controversial scheme claimed there was no design and access statement with the application and that concerns over parking had not been addressed.

But Judge Mark Pelling QC said there were no grounds for continuing with a judicial review, meaning the planning permission stands.

It brings to an end a long campaign to stop the development, but criticism of the decision continues.

Mrs Barrett, who has been at the forefront of the bid to halt the scheme, said: “I’m absolutely devastated.

“There was a huge campaign, people are devastated. This is going to actually ruin a beautiful, beautiful village, and all for just 28 houses.”

Mrs Barrett, said that the parking issues were still to be resolved, and a new parking area proposed by FCHO would leave current residents “no room to manoeuvre” off their drives.

Cllr Kaiser Rehman, of Medlock Vale ward, agreed with Mrs Barrett.

He said: “How could you be granted valid planning permission when the parking issue remains outstanding? It is normal process that when these sort of chronic issues relating to parking in an area, where a development is proposed, those issues are dealt with as part of the planning process.”

He added: “The development will mean the displacement of many residents from the parking places they currently use.”

On the mater of the prospective new car park, a spokesman for FCHO said: “This is one of several possible options going to consultation as part of our Environmental Improvement programme and is not related to the new development.

“The development at Keb Lane is part of our plans to meet the severe housing shortage in Oldham by building more than 800 affordable homes over the next five years.”

Cllr Barbara Brownridge, cabinet member for neighbourhoods and co-operatives at Oldham Council, said: “Parking and road issues were discussed extensively in the reports of planning officers and at two Planning Committee meetings. On both occasions, having heard the evidence both for and against the scheme, members determined that the benefits outweighed any negatives and it was approved.

“There are no parking issues outstanding as the scheme provides sufficient parking and access to the new residential development.

“This has been further supported by the fact that the Judicial Review into this matter clearly found that the granting of this application was valid. The Design and Access Statement was also considered valid by the same review. We welcome this decision but we are not surprised by it.

“The original planning application clearly identifies new access to the development from Levington Drive so we do not believe that access points are unclear. Councillor Rehman has been made aware of this and we are happy to answer any of his questions.

“We’re aware that First Choice Homes Oldham is considering providing additional parking spaces across the rest of the estate but no planning application has yet been made.”