Objection The Alders -building showpeople site

Thank you for signing the petition and showing your support. The response from our community has been overwhelming.

The consultation period has now started, and we need your help once again.

Bolton Council has advised that the Change.org petition does not meet its formal petition criteria. However, the 751 signatures clearly demonstrate the strength of local feeling and opposition to this proposal.

We are therefore asking as many residents as possible to submit an individual objection by email.

📧 Email: ldfconsultation@bolton.gov.uk

 📝 Subject: Objection to Site 532, The Alders, Thicketford Road

A template objection letter is provided below. Please feel free to personalise it with your own concerns, as individual comments carry significant weight during the consultation process.

Dear Planning Policy Team,

I am writing to formally object to the proposed allocation of Site 532, The Alders, as a Travelling Showpeople site.

I recognise the need to provide suitable accommodation for Travelling Showpeople. My objection is not to the community itself, but to the suitability of this particular site.

The Council's own assessment identifies several areas where the site may be unsuitable, including:

Flood risk and drainage due to its valley location and proximity to Bradshaw Brook.
Noise impacts from the movement, storage and maintenance of fairground rides, transporters and equipment close to existing homes.
Highway safety concerns, particularly additional HGV and transporter movements through the Thicketford Road and Crompton Way junction, which has a history of serious accidents.
Environmental impacts due to the site's proximity to Seven Acres Local Nature Reserve and the Castle Croft and Bradshaw Brook Site of Biological Importance.
Landscape and Green Belt impacts, as the site is open, previously undeveloped land outside the existing built-up area.
Access concerns, including limited footpath provision and safe walking routes to local services.

United Utilities has recently completed major investment to improve water quality in Bradshaw Brook and reduce storm overflow activity. Any development should not increase surface water run-off, pollution risks, or pressure on the local drainage network.

A Change.org petition opposing the proposed allocation has received 751 signatures. Whilst I understand this may not meet the Council's formal petition criteria, it clearly demonstrates the strength of concern within the local community and should be acknowledged within the consultation process.

I respectfully request that Bolton Council:

Does not allocate Site 532 at this stage.
Completes independent flood, highways, noise, ecological and ground-condition assessments.
Compares the site openly with less sensitive alternatives, including previously developed land.
Consults residents again once full technical evidence is available.
Records and acknowledges the petition and its 751 signatures.

Availability of land does not prove suitability. The number and seriousness of the identified constraints mean the site should not be allocated without clear, independent evidence that development would be safe and would not cause unacceptable harm.

Please record this letter as my formal objection and confirm receipt.

Yours faithfully,

[Your Name]

Every individual email matters. If you share our concerns, please take a few minutes to send an objection before the consultation closes and share this message with friends, family and neighbours who may also wish to have their views heard.

Thank you again for your continued support. Together, we can ensure the community's voice is heard.