Chew Moor car park vote 'kick in the teeth for residents'

This comes after Bolton Council’s planning committee voted by a majority to allow the 19 place car park to be built at the former Church on St John’s Road, Chew Moor.

Cllr Andy Morgan, of Heaton, Lostock and Chew Moor, had opposed the move before the vote took place and says he is disappointed by the decision.

He said: “So, the decision to approve the ex-Chew Moor Methodist Church car park application is a real kick in the teeth to residents that live in the village and motorists that pass through it.

“I have been sent messages over the past few days that the only reason I opposed the application was because it was a Mosque.

Plans have been approved for a new public car park (Image: Newsquest)

“Those that know me know that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“I can categorically say that if the Methodist Church had made the same application I would have opposed it.

“I was approached by a very well-known Bolton Indian restaurant, well before the mosque purchased the site, to ask if it would be appropriate to have a restaurant there and I said I didn’t think so because of the lack of parking.

“Planning decisions should never be based on religion or bias, they should be based on the impact that a decision will have on the local community and within planning regulations and I believe there were grounds to refuse the application.

“I respect the decision of the planning committee, but it doesn’t mean I agree with it.”

The committee had been recommended the approve the plan subject to conditions by council officers, while the proposal had attracted 70 letters of objection and 33 of support.

During the ensuing town hall debate, a supporter of the application said the new car part would be of a modest scale.

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They said: "We've been told there will be around 15 to 20 people attending around early afternoon.

"It's a modest facility; they are not suddenly going to cram hundreds of people in.

"Activity would generally be finished before school pick-up times."

The planning committee voted to approve the plan at a meeting on Thursday November 6.