THE decision by the Planning Committee to grant consent for 21 houses at Moss Lea, Astley Bridge, almost beggars belief. The approval of the two applications does not appear to address many key issues such as access, road safety for students at Thornleigh, existing parking issues and the impact on the environment. Simply to suggest that more yellow lines can solve the traffic issues ignores the facts that this would merely move the problem elsewhere when there is nowhere else.

There are several key questions that rightly concern residents. Why were the two applications the first for seven and then another 14 houses on two adjacent sites, both on land owned by the council, submitted a few days apart with the second almost at the end of the consultation period for the first? Why were they in the name of PLP a partner of the council, when details of neither the ownership nor of the Council as applicants were made clear to residents?

Although he did not vote why did Councillor Morris only declare his interest as a council Director of PLP part way through consideration of the applications and why did he not see fit to withdraw from the meeting of the Planning Committee as is normal?

All are legitimate questions.

In essence the committee got itself into a complete mess and residents have lost out. By taking the two applications separately the costs of any highways and drainage schemes are now loaded onto the site least likely to be developed with the woodland site most likely to be developed carrying no such costs. A clever move by the applicants some might say.

This whole process certainly lacks transparency and some even suggest it is less then honest.

Councillor John Walsh

Astley Bridge Ward

Bolton