We the undersigned call on Wigan Council to withdraw the planned development at ‘The Bell’ Kitt Green, which will ruin 180 acres of Green Belt for a pointless development.

The threat

This huge scheme would fill the whole ‘Bell’ site from Junction 26 to Spring Road with:

1.6 million square feet of warehouse sheds, (13 times the Scot Lane Asda): something like 40 acres of buildings, plus twice as much concrete around them
The parking alone will be 15 acres, for cars & lorries
170 houses behind Wimborne Road
A new road from Orrell Mount to near Heinz.

But isn’t it all Green Belt?

Yes, all 180 acres of it! And Wigan Council planners have repeatedly and recently committed to its protection:

July 2012: the Wigan Green Belt Options Assessment said about its impact if developed: “The Bell is the highest (worst) scoring site since development would effectively merge the built up areas of Wigan and Orrell.”
September 2013: Wigan’s formal Local Plan said categorically “There will be no alterations to the boundaries of the Green Belt.” (Adopted Policy CP 8 Green Belt and safeguarded land)
February 2014: “The work we have done so far and on the Core Strategy suggests that we can identify enough land to meet the borough’s need for land for housing and business uses for at least the next 15 years without having to use any Green Belt land.”  (Local Plan Consultation Report)
October 2015: the Land Allocations in the ‘Initial Draft Plan’ did not add any Green Belt release, and certainly had no mention of this site.
Now, only a year later, this scheme has suddenly arrived out of the blue. How can people have confidence in the planning system with a story like this?

It’s planning nonsense: it’s contrary to the adopted Local Plan, but the Council and ‘Greater Manchester Combined Authority’ are putting it forward (and without any proper review of the whole Green Belt or its functions)

It’s economic nonsense:  this huge loss of open space will be a lorry-dominated shed estate - but it will probably only create 1500 jobs at most (because warehousing is very job-light)

It’s transport nonsense: right next to Junction 26 – but there will be no extra capacity on the M6, which is already jammed for much of the day.

We call on Wigan Council and the Combined Authority to drop this idea now.

 

Come to the drop in meeting at – Wigan Town Hall Atrium, Thursday 10th Nov anytime between 3pm and 7pm

Keep up to date with new information on Facebook by going to ‘The Bell Green Belt Development’ page

We need to act quickly against this so please support and please let the council know your views at

http://gmsf-consult.objective.co.uk/portal

Greater Manchester Integrated Support Team
PO Box 532
Town Hall
Manchester
M60 2LA

www.wigan.gov.uk/gmsf OBJECTIONS TO THE DEVELOPMENT NEED TO BE SENT TO THE COUNCIL BY 23.12.16 Please send your objections to Wigan Council Planning Dep, Wigan Town Hall, PO Box 100, Wigan. WN1 3DS

Signed

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