Bolton: Key ruling on Atlas Mills, Smithills developments

Atlas Mill on Bentinck Street had already been divided up long before plans had even been discussed by Bolton Council.

But last week, following complaints from residents, the changes were finally debated by the planning committee.

Cllr Gary Veevers, who represents the Smithills area, said: “Over the last few years, residents have been subject to extreme inconvenience to the lives and feel extremely let down by the council.”

The Atlas Mills complex (Image: Newsquest)

He told the committee how residents had had to deal with parking disruption, businesses moving in, noises and effects on their living conditions “all without planning permission".

Deliveries of bins had been repeatedly blocked while residents had been unable to relax in their homes or gardens because of the disruption.

The full plan had asked for permission to divide part of the mill into 12 storage units, an industrial unit and vehicle access onto Sofa Street and Mornington Road with pedestrian access onto Bentinck Street along with parking space for seven cars off Mornington Road.

The plans were submitted in retrospect (Image: Bolton Council)

But several units had already been let to businesses including the workshop unit, the gym and more than half of the storage units before planning permission was granted.

The developers had also asked for permission to install new advertising screens at the complex.

They pointed out that the historic mill building has been a commercial premises since its foundation in the 19th century, while much of the area had been “derelict” before they moved in.

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They also argued that following discussions with residents, accommodations could be made to help relieve the parking and noise issues.

But the committee were unimpressed by the plans as presented, in particular given the impact that the residents said they had had on their day-to-day lives.

Committee member Cllr David Wilkinson, who represents Westhoughton South, described what he had heard as a “tale of woe” and said the plans he had heard did not “fill him with confidence.”

The members voted to reject both the retrospective plan for the units and the plan for advertising screens.

The developers will now have the option to appeal against the decision before it is passed to council officers to decide how they will deal with the refused units.