OBJECTIONS have been made against plans to build 37 houses on land beside the River Irwell in Radcliffe.

Residents who narrowly avoided being flooded over the weekend have voiced their concerns about building on the former Halls factory complex, off Morris Street.

The Averill Group hopes to develop part of the site to create 21 two-bedroom and 16 three-bedroom affordable rented houses.

Developers say they have worked with the Environment Agency for the past nine months to "ensure" the homes would be protected from flooding.

But residents whose homes in Morris Street were flooded on Boxing Day 2015, when the Irwell burst its banks, fear the proposed development would “add to the flood risk downstream." They have urged decision-makers to reconsider the site.

Colette Jones, of Parkside Close and who chairs the Radcliffe and Redvales Flood Action Group, said: "On February 9, Morris Street only just escaped flooding. The more they build, the greater the risk of people being flooded. Water that would have absorbed into the ground will have nowhere to go. It is criminal. They are putting people's lives at risk."

Bury Times: Drawings of the proposed development. Picture, Averill GroupDrawings of the proposed development. Picture, Averill Group

Lindsay Challinor, of Morris Street, submitted this objection via Bury Council’s planning portal: “I strongly object to this proposal. After the events of December 2015 and the flooding of my property, I cannot believe the council is considering an application for houses on the floodplain. This area is necessary to absorb the water when the river floods and when it has nowhere to go our street bears the brunt. The houses that were built on the old Halls factory have been raised above us and subsequently don’t flood but this is at our expense.

“Surely there are more suitable locations for new housing. Radcliffe has had an influx of housing with no new infrastructure and no schools for high school children so why keep adding more people into the area?”

Averill Group said their land, the site where they hope to build, did not flood at the weekend.

Under plans, they hope to build 37 homes on a two-acre plot — a section of the Adams plant, which made Halls Mentholyptus and Halls Soothers. All of the properties would be owned and managed by Jigsaw Homes Ltd, one of Bury Council’s affordable housing provider partners. Proposals also allow parking space for 67 vehicles and 37 bicycles.

Bury Times: Visuals of what the development could look like. Picture, Averill GroupVisuals of what the development could look like. Picture, Averill Group

The application states that Averill has sought assistance and prior advice from the local authority over the principle of residential development and the proposal to deal with flood risk.

Director Luke Averill said: "We understand the residents concerns and have been working with the Environment Agency tirelessly over the last nine months to ensure that any development on the site is protected from flooding as well as ensuring that the surrounding areas are also protected.

"In addition, to assist in the delivery of the flood defences programme, the EA are using the site as their compound until summer 2021."

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The first phase of a £40million flood defence scheme is currently under construction in nearby Close Park, which suffered significant flooding over the weekend.

To view the plans, search application 65015 at planning.bury.gov.uk.