Verdict on controversial homes plan is delayed

Heath Lane with much house-building going on in the background

Proposals by Bloor Homes for the houses on land at Thompsons Farm in Heath Lane, Lowton, were set to be approved.

But councillors agreed to delay a decision on the plan - which saw residents raise fears the new homes would cause problems with traffic and air pollution.

There has long been opposition to homes developments in Lowton and Golborne, with fed-up residents calling on Wigan Council to ensure further applications for new houses in the areas are rejected.

They presented a petition to Wigan town hall demanding the end of further house-building in the two areas earlier this year.

Hundreds have also signed a petition on Change.org, which was created by Lowton resident Christine Lewis who also co-founded with neighbour Luisa Preston the Traffic Action Group for Lowton and Golborne on Facebook as well as sending in their own emails and hand-written letters.

The unhappy residents say the problems on Lowton and Golborne’s roads, which include gridlock at peak times on residential streets and widespread speeding issues on other routes, is their main gripe with the town hall.

A number of nearby applications comprising of hundreds of homes have already been approved by planners.

These include a 362-home development on land south east of Stone Cross Lane North, while 129-home, 68-home and 24-home developments have all been approved across Heath Lane, with construction work under way.

Coun Stuart Gerrard welcomed the delay so a site visit can be made.

He said: “I didn’t feel comfortable having this meeting without giving the many objectors the peace of mind that the committee would be able to conduct a site visit and draw there own conclusions, rather than being directed by a weighted report in favour of the decision the council would like to see made.”

The Bloor development would see a mixture of one, two, three and four-bedroom homes built on land which has not been farmed on for several years.

Planning officers had recommended the scheme’s approval in their report to the committee, pointing out that a quarter of the homes would be affordable, that the site would address short-term local housing needs, was in a suitable location and would not affect the existing amenity currently enjoyed by neighbouring properties.