A FACTORY that has been at the heart of Urmston for more than 100 years is set to be bulldozed to make way for 58 new homes.

On Thursday, planning chiefs gave the go ahead to demolish Simpsons Ready Foods factory, in Stretford Road, and erect a housing development on the site.

The factory closed down in April this year after the family-run business, which started in 1910, was sold. Operations were then moved to Yorkshire.

After the closure, the Simpson family, who still own the site, sought outline planning permission to develop a residential scheme ‘much more in keeping with the surrounding area’.

The proposal would see the factory and associated buildings ripped down and up to 58 two to three-storey new homes erected on the 8,200sqm site.

The main access to the proposed housing development would be from Stretford Road. There would be no access to the site from Link Avenue or Firwood Avenue.

A planning statement from Ludlam Chartered Townplanners and Development Consultants said: "The demolition of the buildings and removal of an industrial use, with all of the processes, activity and other associated disturbances from such close proximity to residential properties, would represent an improvement to the amenities of the area and its residents.”

Eleven neighbours objected to the proposal, with reasons ranging from lack of affordable housing, loss of privacy, and overdevelopment, to additional strain on highways, poor parking provision, and out of character with existing streetscene.

On November 10, the application, which carried a recommendation to grant, went before Trafford Council’s planning committee, who unanimously passed the plans within one minute of them coming to the table.