D-Day for Peace Centre plan

8:25am Thursday 7th February 2008

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BRITAIN'S first peace centre - inspired by the events of 9/11 - could today be given the go-ahead to open in Bolton.

But a dispute has broken out over the plan, with opponents fearing it will lead to an increase in traffic and disturb their peace.

The regional centre would be built on the foundations of a former Victorian house, which later became the Burnthwaite Children's Home, off Old Hall Lane, Lostock.

It would be built by the United Religious Initiative (URI), a global multi-faith forum that aims to end religious violence.

Yet it faces a battle to allay the fears of residents, who have lodged a 106-name petition with Bolton Council.

The URI says there would be public access and the centre would cater for 60 visitors a day. It would include 20 parking spaces, meeting rooms, conference and exhibition space, a cafe and toilets.

The site, which is council-owned and within green belt land, has woods, meadows and two streams.

URI says woodland charity Red Rose Forest is keen to help manage the area, but locals fear the nearby roads would not cope with the increased traffic and they have also raised concerns that the centre will disturb their tranquillity and also wildlife, including deer, herons and bats.

Members of the council's planning committee and worried residents yesterday met URI chief, the Reverend Malcolm Stonestreet, at Bolton Town Hall.

They were assured that URI was not a cult and that the aim was to allow people of different faiths to meet together to discuss matters spiritual, ethical and ecological.

Mr Stonestreet, a retired priest from Borrowdale, Cumbria, said the URI would respect its neighbours and allow fishing to continue at the site. He also said it would be secured at night to prevent anti-social behaviour.

He said: "This could be the jewel in the crown of the inter-faith work that has been done in Bolton.

"People might say you've not told us a fat lot about what's going to happen', but we do not know until we have consulted people."

Mr Stonestreet said there had been talks with the council about a 125-year lease, but he admitted he did not know how much the centre would cost and said that Government and charitable support would be needed.

He also said that traffic could be a problem, but promised there would be a new grassed access and that full traffic and ecological assessments would be carried out.

Roy Walmsley, of Lostock, said: "If this is for the North-west area, it will attract more than 60 people. They will come by car because there is no public transport and there is just a single track to the site."

But Cllr Frank White, executive member for community cohesion, said: "It would be a tragedy if the motor car was to drive this project away and I would encourage the planning committee to find a solution."

An outline planning application will be considered by the planning committee today.