On the march against plan for travellers’ site

Around 50 people gathered at the precinct in Market Street, Little Lever, on Saturday to fight the proposals.

People of all ages walked down Mytham Road and past the old Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal to the proposed five-acre site off Hall Lane.

Graham Howarth, aged 65, of Ascot Road, which backs on to the proposed site, believes Bolton Council should buy the land and make it part of Moses Gate Country Park.

He said: “Bolton has more than its quota of travellers’ camps. It would knock £50,000 off the price of our houses.”

Gemma Roscoe, aged 32, of Grange Avenue, Little Lever, was walking with her sons Elliot Fielding, aged eight, and six-monthold Kieron Roscoe.

She said: “We like to walk by the canal and through where they are planning to build. We wouldn’t be able to do that and it would spoil the area.”

Landowners Mr and Mrs John Patrick Donelon want to build affordable houses on the site. If those plans are refused, they have proposed to create pitches for a travellers’ site—which is likely to be accepted on greenbelt land.

Former councillor Sean Hornby, who led the walk, said: “For a great many years this land has been used as a public footpath to the canal and the country park by regular walking groups, joggers, cyclists, horse riders, dog walkers, school class groups, the anglers’ association and families alike.

“This land is a gateway into the country park and wildlife.”

He added: “To allow this land to be built upon, for any purpose, is only going to take away from the character and appearance of the area.”

Mr Hornby said Mr and Mrs Donelon were trying to use a loophole in greenbelt planning laws and had already advertised the land for sale in full, or plots, in the Traveller’s Times.

A meeting to discuss further action will be held on Wednesday at 7.30pm at the Hardy Hall pub in Church Street, Little Lever.

For more information about the meeting, contact Mr Hornby on 07969 687981, or email sean.