Residents scorn ‘disgusting’ new fences in quaint Diggle village

A COMMUNITY which lost a battle to keep its village green has gone to war over metal railings and fencing at new homes built on the site.

Diggle residents have poured scorn on the black-painted rails and concrete posts with wooden panels erected at a pair of semi-detached homes at Huddersfield Road.

The houses, built by First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO), are part of their commitment to erect 48 affordable homes across the borough.

But Diggle resident and former Saddleworth Parish Councillor Royce Franklin, said: “The railings are a scar on the landscape. They are disgusting and show no sensitivity to the village.

‘”We did not want the development in the first place. We had to re-locate our local village green because of the building.

“There has been no attempt to blend the houses in with the local community. The railings are a disgrace and merely add to the insult.

“If this is the way First Choice behave let’s hope we have no more developments by them in Diggle.”

Local historian Mike Buckley, also a Parish Councillor, said: “The double layers of heavy concrete fences and robust metal railings are more redolent of Colditz than a country village.

“I am very disappointed. First Choice Homes have taken so little account of what is appropriate in a Pennine village.

“After all the controversy surrounding the building of these two houses, a respected social landlord has made so little effort to ensure the new properties maintain the character of the area.

Mark Brooks, chair of Diggle Community Association, added: “What we have been gifted is metal fencing which is not in keeping with the area and detracts from the relationship of the dwellings with their surroundings.

“Quite frankly the fencing looks totally out of place and is nothing more than a carbuncle on the face of the village.”

A spokesperson from FCHO said: “Our architects made revisions to the boundary treatment plans -fences and walls that enclose a property – following safety concerns raised by building control.

“The revisions were submitted to Oldham’s planning department and to date we have received no objections from them.”

The spokesperson added: “We have received a complaint which will be dealt with in line with our complaints procedure.”