Major change proposed for new Bury bungalows and apartments

Social housing provider Bolton at Home previously submitted plans for 39 flats and four bungalows at the former site of the Millwood School, off Fletcher Fold Road, in summer 2024.

The plans were approved in December 2024 for the school building land, with the site selected by Bury Council as a "suitable location for providing older persons accommodation" after it was demolished in 2021.

Papers approved at the time promised "much-needed, purpose-built" housing which can be "easily adapted to changing needs as people age", to free up family housing in the borough.

Now, plans have been submitted to Bury Council seeking to change the number of electric vehicle (EV) charging bays at the site.

Papers say the issue arises with the apartment parking.

According to the applicant, after detailed discussions with utility providers and electrical consultants, the available electrical capacity from the approved low-voltage point of connection is only sufficient to accommodate one EV charger for the apartment car park.

This, along with the four chargers for the bungalows, provides a total of five EV chargers across the development.

The initial plans, approved in December 2024, enforced a planning condition requiring an electric charging unit for each of the total 43 homes.

However, new documents submitted by the developers say installing these would require a new high-voltage connection and an on-site substation, with costs quoted at more than £142,000.

The applicant argues this cost "would make the development financially unviable".

The cost per additional charging space would be approximately £47,567, significantly exceeding the Building Regulations Part S cost cap of £3,600 per charging point, before additional construction, installation, or associated project costs are considered.

The applicant has proposed an alternative solution.

Before the first occupation of the development, four electric vehicle charging points of at least 7kW will be installed to serve the four bungalows, and one electric vehicle charging point of at least 7kW will be installed within the apartment car park.

Cable routes will also be installed to each of the remaining apartment parking spaces to enable the future installation of additional electric vehicle charging points.

Certification and photographic evidence of the completed installation will be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to first occupation.

The applicant's submission states: "As such, the required electrical infrastructure upgrade would make the development financially unviable.

"Prior to the first occupation of the development, four electric vehicle charging points of at least 7kW shall be installed to serve the four bungalows and one electric vehicle charging point of at least 7kW shall be installed within the apartment car park.

"Cable routes shall also be installed to each of the remaining apartment parking spaces to enable the future installation of additional electric vehicle charging points.

"Certification and photographic evidence of the completed installation shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to first occupation."

The variation of the planning condition will be reviewed by Bury Council at a later date.