Shortly before Christmas, Peel submitted an application to build 128 three- and four-bedroom houses on the former Roscoe’s Farm site, off Bolton Road; near Central Drive.
You might recall that Roscoe’s Farm is right next to Hall Lee Brook, part of the local wildlife corridor; and a little piece of nature that I am personally particularly fond of.
I have asked that the application (number 05165/18 if you would like to look up the documents on the Council’s planning website yourself) be brought to the Planning Committee for discussion. As with the previous application for housing on this site, I believe the application will have a serious effect on the local wildlife; the flora and fauna of the area; the traffic in the area; the schools, doctor’s surgery, and dentist; and many other knock-on effects.
Westhoughton faces severe overdevelopment and all our local services are being strained as a result. Moreover, we are facing a rapid assault on our green spaces and Roscoe’s Farm borders a major wildlife resource, which would be under serious threat if this development were to be allowed to pass.
I will be opposing this development, just as I opposed it last time. If anything, the situation is Westhoughton has become even worse than it was when I last had to fight this; so I sincerely hope the Council will see sense and reject this application.
There is no date for the application to be heard at the Planning Committee yet but after I asked for it to come to the Committee for a decision, Planning Officers have informed me that the application will be scheduled at some point between March and May 2019.
I will, of course, keep you informed of progress.