TRADITIONALLY, our town planners have been extremely generous over what is allowed as extras in the designated Green Belt they inherited from the former Greater Manchester County Council.

On this basis, the vast majority of the remaining Green Belt in Central Bromley Cross has had permitted development in recent years. The former Hollands Gardening Centre lasted mid-2009 to mid-2014, but the site is now earmarked for a full retail and sports park. Long-time supporter of development in the local Green Belt, Mr Holstead of more distant Egerton, appears to have lapped up the brochure for the scheme without applying a little intellectual analysis before supplying his letter for publication.

Has he asked himself how 70-odd rail commuter car spaces will actually be attractive to commuters?

Picture a wet and windy winter evening and getting off your train at the local station. Is it any kind of attraction to then face a wet walk all the way down and then along to the site and then to take your life into your hands and try to cross that seriously dangerous Darwen Road in the evening rush hour and at a very severe bend in the road, with poor sighting? It is a non-starter.

Do have a good think about it Mr Holstead — both you and the local investor who appears to live in a land of fantasy.

Where is the planning application for the scheme — why are we waiting — has the local site owner and investor lost faith in the grand plan already?

Name and address supplied