A pivotal planning meeting is scheduled for next week to decide whether a major 199-home development on the outskirts of Littleborough will get the green light.
The Site and The Scheme
The proposed development, tabled by national housebuilder Taylor Wimpey, is earmarked for a 12-hectare plot of land west of Smithy Bridge Road. This site sits between the hamlet of Smithy Bridge and the larger town of Littleborough, within the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale.
If approved, the project would include not only the new homes but also significant public amenities. These are set to feature dedicated greenspace, new cycle and pedestrian paths, a wildflower meadow, and a community allotment for local residents.
Traffic: The Core Concern and a Potential Solution
The most contentious issue surrounding the application is traffic. More than 300 local objectors have formally opposed the plans, citing fears of 'unacceptable traffic increases' on roads they say are already operating at capacity. Concerns also extend to pressure on local infrastructure, potential loss of wildlife, and flood risks.
However, the developer and council planners argue the scheme could be part of the long-term solution to the area's notorious congestion. A key element of the proposal is the construction of the eastern section of a new primary relief road. This would link Smithy Bridge Road with Albert Royd Street.
According to highways assessments within the planning papers, this road is 'vital to achieving a long-term traffic solution' for the congested A58 Halifax Road corridor. It is claimed the route would reduce development traffic through the critical A58 / Smithy Bridge Road junction once complete.
The Decision and Wider Context
Rochdale Council's planning committee will convene to make a final decision on Thursday, 22 January 2026. The meeting will be held at Number One Riverside.
The outcome will be closely watched, coming just two months after the approval of another large housing scheme—a 309-home development near Hollingworth Road. Objectors to that project similarly warned of severe traffic impacts on the already strained local network, highlighting the cumulative pressure on the area's roads.
The debate encapsulates a classic planning dilemma: the urgent need for new housing versus the legitimate concerns of existing communities about overburdened infrastructure and local identity.
