The Friends of Lever Park » chorley

How was this ignored?

bobdootson — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 09:01:32 +0000

Here’s a link to a copy of Chorley’s own ‘Local Plan’.

Its a big document, but here’s an except that refers to Lever Park (see page 123):

Chorley Borough has four historic parks and gardens, namely Lever Park and Terraced Gardens at Rivington, and the gardens associated with Astley Hall and Hoghton Tower. Each of these gardens forms a significant visitor attraction due to its unique characteristics, and there is potential to improve and develop the gardens. Lever Park in particular has been the subject of a Development Strategy produced by North West Water. However, care must be taken not to damage the special character and features of the parks or of the surrounding environment, and consideration should be given to the transport implications. Policy HT13 of this Plan relates to the preservation of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.

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Dear Robert Ronson, Stephen Rock and Barbara Ronson…

David — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:27:14 +0000

I’ve just used www.writetothem.com to send my local councillors the following email:

Dear Robert Ronson, Stephen Rock and Barbara Ronson,

I’m emailing to express my concern at the lack of support for the Friends of Lever Park in their efforts to stop the commercialisation of Lever Park.

Bob Dootson has led a magnificent campaign to try and stop the Go Ape development and he has been very publicly supported by Lindsay Hoyle MP and Ruth Kelly MP. However, grassroots support from local councillors in Horwich, Rivington, Chorley and Adlington has been poor.

Indeed, lack of vigilance by local representative groups (especially Rivington Parish Council, Rivington Heritage Trust and Rivington and Brinscall Advisory Group) allowed the development to proceed when clearly a large majority of people were very much against the development.

Despite providing the local government ombudsman with a dossier of written evidence which provided damning evidence of maladministration by Chorley Council, and which was only countered by evidence even Chorley had to admit was ‘here-say’, it looks like the ombudsman will not hold Chorley to account.

You will be aware the Lever Park was gifted to the people of Bolton by Lord Leverhulme. Although it lies within the boundary of Chorley, most of the visitors are your constituents from Horwich and Chorley.

At the moment, none of the users of Lever Park has any voice in its future.

So I’d like you to contact your colleagues in Rivington, Adlington and Chorley and join forces with the local MPs and start to work together to ensure that the people of Chorley and Bolton have an effective voice in the future development of this peaceful and tranquil area.

Yours sincerely, David Pott

I’ll let you know if they respond. Meanwhile, why don’t you email your councillor, MP or even MEP? Its very easy and its free!

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An Invitation from Chorley Council

David — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:58:09 +0000

From Bob Dootson (click the letter to display a bigger version if you can’t read the text):

Although the letter mentions it, I haven’t managed to find anything on the Chorley website that mentions the public consultation. If anyone finds it, please let me know! By the way, the Rivington Conservation Area seems to be just the village, not Lever Park itself.

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Chorley’s Scheme Of Delegation

bobdootson — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 22:11:52 +0000

Section 9.5 clause C (ii) Delegation cannot be used on a site of one hectare or more ( the go-ape site is 3.2 hectares)

Section 9.5 clause D Delegation can’t be used if the decision is contrary to a written comment received from a local resident,a town or parish council or any other outside body or organisation that has been consulted.

That explains why NO local residents were contacted, and NO outside bodies or oranisations were consulted.

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1902 Act and Map

bobdootson — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:34:38 +0000

The Act describes Lever Park as being coloured yellow on the Map when the documents where drawn up,and when you look at the 1902 map it shows yellow going to the waters edge.and refers to an intended unclimable fence marked by red dots.

So how can the fence be the boundary,when it didn’t exist when the Act was put in place.The map clearly shows Lever Park coloured yellow going to the waters edge.

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Chorley Investigate Themselves

bobdootson — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:06:19 +0000

Chorley Borough Council have been told by the Local Goverment Ombudsman’s office that they have recieved a formal complaint regarding planning application 08/00553/FUL (go-ape).

This application was put through Delegated Powers and controlled throughout its process by JANE MEEK,and finished up with her signing the final planning permission.

Chorley Borough Council have confirmed that the complaint is under investigation by JANE MEEK.

( WAKE UP CHORLEY,HOW CAN SHE INVESTIGATE HERSELF).

What is being uncovered here is only the tip of the iceberge,and if Chorley want to make any attempt to restore public confidence they should sort their house out and quick.

I wonder what Chorley’s MP thinks about this.

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BBC Radio Lancashire Interview

David — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:13:30 +0000

For those of us who missed it, Mike Wayne has sent an mp3 version of the radio feature on Monday morning’s BBC Radio Lancashire breakfast programme.

BBC Radio Lancashire Feature on the Friends of Lever Park

(Click the link to open your music player and download the mp3 file - its a long feature so it might take a minute or so to download and start playing)

Mike Wayne also sent this selection of photos of the event.

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Lindsay Hoyle MP: Contact Details (Updated)

David — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 05:43:17 +0000

If you want to write to the local MP for Rivington (Lindsay Hoyle), here’s an excellent link:

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/lindsay_hoyle/chorley

Alternatively,

From www.lindsayhoyle.com:

35-39 Market Street
Chorley
Lancashire
PR7 2SW

Chorley Constituency telephone: 01257 271555
Chorley Constituency fax: 01257 277462

House of Commons telephone: 020 7219 3515
House of Commons fax: 020 7219 3831

e-mail: hoylel@parliament.uk

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