It Gets Worse.
Mar 9th, 2009 by philjay
I chanced to visit the site this afternoon, only to witness frenzied activity by a contractor operating a mini digger attempting to ‘blend in’ the landing area of a zip wire by cutting a 10ft wide by c50ft long runway out of the understory. Better those native plants and bluebells be wiped out completely by GoApe, rather than battered by some apes size 10 boots on landing. And those stockades, now becoming no go areas for the general public, why? We are legally able to access all areas of the woodland within Lever Park, as dictated in the 1902 Act. I must urge people to get behind and put there trust in Lyndsay Hoyles office, Mike Gaskill is working very hard on our behalf to force a decision on the 1902 Act as well as communicating directly with CBC and others. We envisage an iminent opportunity for the voice of the public to be properly heard, when a planning application by GoApe is presented for changes to the site layout. CBC cannot turn a deaf ear this time, so we call upon all involved to register there objections accordingly. And finally for the time being, I find it absolutely incredible that the Health and Safety Executive are unaware of the unlawful practices currently employed by GoApe, I suggest that they have no Health and Safety Policy or carried out any Risk Assessment. Who on site is responsible? The site manager? Maybe he/she should be prosecuted. It’s not good enough GoApe, I hope your duty of care towards your clientel is better than your apparent disregard for the general public who visit Lever Park on a daily basis. Fight on Pollak Park, dont let this happen in Glasgow.
I don’t think CBC are going to turn a deaf ear this time. I had a response from Paul Whittingham on 9 March in which he says:
“As far as the Council is aware a tree survey has been undertaken by a consultant on behalf of Go Ape in preparation for the submission of a planning application to install zip wire 4. This application has not been submitted yet and I am not able to provide any indication if or when an application will be submitted.
If an application is submitted the Council will seek to inform people about the application so that people can register their views”
end of quote…
This sounds very promising to me. I hope CBC do take into account the rising opposition to this development and we must all make sure we register our objections.
His response sounds promising; let’s just hope that this time they do “seek to inform people about the application” properly as they should have done with the first application “so that people can register their views”. As we are now aware of the situation at least that puts us in a better position to make sure this application doesn’t go through unchallenged.
Yesterday I took my brother to the lower barn for a spot of lunch and to show him the lovely area of Rivington.
We walked down towards the wooden hut to be confronted by a huge pile of wood chippings with a small excavator behind it.Having a lunch break were 3 lads and I called over to them that being where the pile was it was impeding the bridleway.A lad with Go-Ape logo on his shirt and looked maybe 20 or so and said he was the site manager came and was very pleasant and said he thought they had left enough room for any horse wishing to go past.I mentioned about the state of all the paths being a quagmire where the vehicles had been driven and he informed me that it wasn`t mud but leaf mould!Well to say I was surprised is an understatement so now you all know what we are walking through!
I mentioned the walls all being damaged along the path that runs along the side of the reservoir and asked who would be repairing them and he said it may be them or UU or a subcontractor.He couldn`t tell me when that would be.
I also stated I had nothing against Go-Ape and just wished they weren`t at that particular site and the 1902 Act allows everone to roam freely and now we wouldn`t be able to do this with the stockades etc and he replied he didn`t know anything about the 1902 Act.
I then asked when they were planning to open and he said 26/27th of MARCH which took me by surprise because I thought it would have been in time for Easter 10th April-it looks like they are pushing forward at great speed to complete in time.
My brother just kept quiet whilst this exchange was going on and when we got back in the car he told me just glancing around that in his opinion the health and safety issues were being broken and anyone of Joe Public can go to the site manager and ask to see the Health and safety working manuals,schedules,plans etc and they HAVE to produce them for anyone to look at it-might be worth passing everyday and asking to see them?
He also told me if they put up Trespassers will be prosecuted signs it means nothing as all they could do was escort you away from the area( Not forgetting that it`s not their land to curb your free enjoyment and access to the area)My brother works for the MOD and has to know the laws etc and also pointed out that the felling of anymore trees would also have an effect on the reservoir as the trees were taking up a lot of the excess water that drains off the land and that would end up affecting the water levels of the Reservoir-I hadn`t thought of this at all.
He bet our Grandad who fought on the french battle fields never knew that they were in fact fighting on battle fields of leaf mould!
Sorry for rambling but I`m not very articulate at the best of times!
It beggers belief that Chorley council are not tackling the very serious breaches of health and safety.no matter how much we rant about it they choose to do nothing.It proves that they don`t care about the general public,they would rather see big company`s getting theire own way,even when they break the law.
Everyone who is concerned about this should attend the meeting on the 23rd March. I think we should all discuss some sort of action at Rivington to coincide with the opening of Go-Ape. Come on you Eco Warriors, stand up and be counted.
After another visit to the site last week, I have written to Chorley Borough Council – requesting their assessment of the situation.
I have also sent a letter to United Utilities (land owner) asking whether or not UU finds the current state of the site acceptable.
Bob Dootson has supplied me with a copy of the Ombudsman’s reply – which I have also responded to.
Whilst planning applications are ultimatley a matter for the Local Authority, I am deeply concerned at the manner in which this project has been handled, particularly the number of trees that have been felled/pruned, apparently unncecessarily.
If a new planning application is needed, then this supports the view that perhaps the original plan for the site was not appropriate.
I will be in touch when I receive replies.
In the mean time please do not hesitate to contact me directly on 01257 271 555.