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SUMMARY
PROOF OF EVIDENCE
DAVID FEARNLEY
ON BEHALF OF SWAN
PLANNING APPEAL No app/n4205/a/99/1033664
Industrial development (B1, B2 & B8)
Land South Park Road, Westhoughton
- My evidence highlights the Physical Pollution now being caused on the local road network. The air quality, disturbance and Light Pollution. Including the Harmful effects to the public from traffic emissions. Also the traffic congestion and the accident blackspots on our local roads, from future development. Including the often restricted access to emergency Vehicles and the addition to the road network of Current and Future Developments.
- Also unsustainable development, Agenda 21, Local Agenda 21 and Bolton's Wildlife Strategy. We have grave concerns for our local and wider environment, our wildlife corridors, SBI's, Greenfield sites and the vital links, which form those common bonds. Which indeed do have. Including the much wider links to Pennington Flash Nature Reserve and the Mersey Basin, to the sea.
- Local watercourses are under threat by any development including the proposed industrial application. Hall Lee Bank (SBI) and its watercourse is threatened, as well as the nearby Bellhouse Lodge, along with its pair of Breeding swans, ducks and numerous other visiting and breeding birds. Our local watercourses have links with the past, water from the site flows into a glacial valley. We want to protect the watercourse(s) today, so that they will still be here tomorrow. After all, what resides in the water resides, in us.
- The Chequerbent/Lee Hall site is diverse in wildlife and many species are under threat from the proposed loss of habitat. They include Schedule 1 and Red Listed Birds, plus many other birds including the Skylark and Lapwing the Great Crested Newt. Also Bats, Hare, Roe Deer, Badger, flora etc etc.
- Their hedgerow habitat is also under threat by the proposed development. The hedges are roosts and feeding areas for Bats, breeding grounds for the diverse bird population, they form cover and breeding areas for small mammals, Amphibians, GCNs etc. They are part of our wildlife corridor network. Which is fully supported and promoted by Bolton Council and other bodies.
- There is also the need for wider vision, sustainable land use etc, without the carpet building. Organic Farming and open land preservation etc. New ideas are needed. The new and the old are relevant, when linked to Agenda 21 and sustainability, biodiversity, preservation, history and archaeology. Carpet development destroys Archaeology and Heritage.
- Chequerbent and the wider Lee Hall site has the potential as a Cultural Heritage Site with Bronze Age/Iron Age remains dwellings etc, the Roman A6. The later medieval settlement and activity and habitation at Chequerbent/Snydle Hill and the early watermill in the vicinity of Lee Hall (SBI). Bringing us back to that key issue. The watercourses, which must be protected and improved at all costs.
© Planning Sanity - August 2008 (can be freely used by local communities within their campaigns.
Publication by third parties is permitted providing acknowledgment of Planning Sanity is given)
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