Canal restoration group disappointed at Cream Mill plans rejection

[Alan de Enfield]

The chairman of a canal society has expressed his disappointment after plans which would have repaired a breach in a canal path between Bolton and Bury were unanimously rejected this week.

Watson Construction had wanted to build 255 homes on mostly green belt sites on the former Creams Paper Mill off Mytham Road and Hall Lane in Little Lever.

The plans also included a £2.64 million project to create and restore two paths along the Bolton and Bury Canal and repair a breach in the waterway.

 

If approved, two stretches of the canal would have been joined creating a three mile link between Hall Lane in Little Lever and Radcliffe.

But earlier this month the planning committee of Bolton Council voted unanimously to reject the plans.

Planning officers had recommended that they should not be approved, but said it was a finely balanced decision.

Objectors complained it would have led to green belt sites being built on and cited environmental issues.

 

Paul Hindle, chairman of the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal Society, was disappointed the decision.

 

He said: “It has stopped the repair of the breach and it stopped other things that would have followed from that.”

He said at Water Street bridge in Radcliffe had lowered and was blocking canals.

Mr Hindle said this was a “big issue” but if these plans had been approved it could have created the possibility of doing something about that.

He outlined other benefits from the plans.

He said: “We would have cut down 400 trees and planted 4,000.

“It would have created a woodland walk along the River Irwell.

“It would have been a great walk.

"There would have been 270 houses, about half would have been affordable.

"The Bolton Council general plan is for more housing, but also in the plan is to preserve the green belt."

He said of the prospect for a three mile stretch on the river: “We could have had canoeing or public trips.”

But despite this, Mr Hindle was hopeful the plans could be approved in the future.

 

He said: “We are a canal restoration society, what is what we are about.

“If we thought it was never going to happen we might as well go home.”

The planners have the option to appeal the decision or they can submit a fresh bid.

 

Canal restoration group disappointed at Cream Mill plans rejection | The Bolton News

[Mike Todd]

If the planning officer thinks it is finely balanced it is likely to go to appeal . . . 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

"There would have been 270 houses, about half would have been affordable.

 

How would they have been able to sell the other half of homes that were unaffordable? Seems a very poorly thought out plan.

[Peanut]

Affordable housing has many definitions, but is often unaffordable for many. Unaffordable houses seem to sell well on the open market.