Residents fight new homes plan for Bacup (From The Bolton News)

Residents fight new homes plan for Bacup

7:00pm Friday 22nd March 2013 in North West By Chris Adams

NEIGHBOURS are opposing plans for 20 family homes on a patch of open space.

A consultation event at Bacup Hub was attended by traders and councillors, who described the proposals to build next to the community building as unnecessary.

Catherine Murphy, owner of the Burnley Road Hub, said joint plans by Rossendale Council, Together Housing and Barnfield Construction, could lead to her losing her licence to sell alcohol.

She said: “It is inevitable that if 20 families move in here, they will eventually object to the Hub’s alcohol licence.

“I was aware there was a possibility of housing being built here when I purchased the Hub (in 2010), but the plans have changed. The council say they will vet the people moving in and warn them I have late-night events, but I’m worried I’ll be forced out and will have invested £300,000 for no reason.

“The bar is what makes the money to allow us to subsidise charity and community events. Without it, I fear we’d close within two years. I have offered to buy the land off the council at full market value, and they have turned that down.”

Bosses from Green Vale Homes, part of the Together Housing group, out- lined proposals to build 10 two-bedroom and 10 three-bedroom homes on a council-owned field just south of the Hub.

David Lawrie, chairman of Bacup Traders’ Association, said: “I asked Green Vale Homes to prove the demand for two and three-bedroom homes in Bacup. They had done no research, and had no answers.”

Ian Clark, Green Vale Homes’ managing direct-or, said: “There is a dire need for quality, affordable housing across the country and the mood of the consultation event was mainly positive. This development will boost the local economy, while providing families with some much-needed hous-ing. The proposals for 20 homes will be submitted at the end of the month.”