Furious residents told their objections to controversial plans are 'not applicable'

Residents on the doorstep of a landmark office block in Sale have been told their protests over its conversion into 80 apartments ‘are not applicable’. People who are close neighbours of the six-storey Sale Point building on the A56 Washway Road - one of the main arterial routes into Manchester from Altrincham - say the development will add to traffic and parking chaos they already suffer.

They are also worried about the capacity of local schools and doctors' surgeries to handle the additional residents. Plans for the transformation of the 1970s building are currently lodged with Trafford council’s planners.

However, because the conversion is a change of use under ‘permitted development’ regulations, Trafford’s planning officers will make the decision, not councillors on the borough’s planning committee. That decision has yet to be made. When the committee met this week, a separate application was approved for the replacement of all Sale Point’s windows and frames, additional window openings and the installation of Juliette balconies in an apparent prelude to the eventual approval of the conversion.

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Regardless, there were 15 letters of objection from neighbouring residents raising issues over the impact on the highway network, local services like doctors’ surgeries and schools, and headaches over parking. But a report to the committee said that the applicant Blueoak Estates Ltd’s plan was ‘in line with local, regional and national policies’.

“The proposal is considered to have been designed appropriately and will not have any unacceptable impact on the amenity and quality of life of adjacent residents,” it said. Councillors were told by Sarah Lowes, Trafford’s major projects planning officer, that there is a ‘separate and pending’ change of use application from office to residential under ‘nationally set permitted development rights’ and ‘fully delegated’ to officers.

Coun Simon Thomas said that the ongoing use of the building was not under consideration by the planning committee. “I can see no reason, without much debate, why we can’t agree with the officers’ recommendation to approve it,” he said.

Coun Mike Cordingley agreed, but went on to say: “I can understand why the residents feel that the planning system isn’t working for them. I can see why they’ve objected. Those objections are not applicable to this application, and so we’re doing the right thing by allowing it.

"But that doesn’t remove the feeling of unease that this is not working for them and that they’ve got an opinion that needs to be heard. I’m just putting it on record, that I hear what they’re saying.”

'They will look into our rooms'

Earlier in the day residents spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service over their objections. One householder, who did not wish to be named, lives in Westbourne Grove where there are a number of imposing Victorian villas. They said: “The major issue here is around parking. There are not going to be anywhere near enough parking spaces for the people living in that block.”

She said that until residents parking permits were issued and a two-hour waiting restriction was imposed there were ‘a lot of problems. Another resident said: “The traffic around here is horrendous. We feel like we are prisoners here sometimes.”

Other nearby streets where people objected included Westgate, Walnut Grove, Barkers Lane and St Mary's Road. A resident on Westgate said: “We will be overlooked directly by the apartments. They will be able to look directly into our rooms and gardens. There will also be an increase in illegal and obstructive parking.

“There are already difficulties getting out of the Barkers Lane/Washway Road junction. There is also limited capacity for local schools and GPs.”