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SALFORD COUNCILLORS CALL IN PEEL HOLDINGS GREEN FIELD SELL OFF IN WALKDEN
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Star date: 7th July 2014
`APPALLING' SALFORD COUNCIL SLATED FOR FLOGGING OFF ST GEORGE'S RC SCHOOL GREEN FIELD SITE
Last week, Salford Council formally agreed plans to sell off the green field site on Hilton Lane in Walkden formerly used by St George's RC High School as its playing field and lately used by local sheep farmers.
The sell off includes a clause that `discussions are held with Peel Estates [Peel Holdings] regarding matters of joint interest', and now opposition Conservative Party councillors, calling in the decision, have slammed the Council for "flogging off our green field sites to the highest bidder whilst organising cosy behind-closed-doors meetings with developers".
Full details here… |
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Green field land on Hilton Lane, Walkden, has a history of controversy, firstly its use being transferred from a playing field for the nearby St George's RC High School to being rented by a local sheep farmer.
Last October plans were afoot to sell off the land completely (see previous Salford Star article – click here) and last week Salford Council's Deputy Mayor, Councillor David Lancaster, rubber stamped a formal decision, declaring it `surplus to its requirements' and agreeing its `disposal'.
What seems strange about the flog off, apart from the fact that it's green field land which the Council apparently seeks to protect, is that there is a clause in the formal decision "That discussions are held with Peel Estates regarding matters of joint interest, including the possible sale to them of the former Ellenbrook sewage works site".
Peel Estates (part of Peel Holdings), following a huge battle with the community, already have planning permission to build 350 houses on Burgess Farm next door (see previous Salford Star article – click here), and opposition councillors have slammed `cosy behind-closed-doors meetings with developers', as well as the loss of yet more green land in Salford…
"This is an appalling decision by the Labour Council to sell off green fields which belong to the people of Salford" says Iain Lindley, Councillor for Walkden South "The City Mayor claims to support our green fields but instead the Council is flogging off our green field sites to the highest bidder whilst organising cosy behind-closed-doors meetings with developers.
"Residents on Hilton Lane know that this area does not have the infrastructure to cope with even more development" he adds "I have submitted a request for the decision to be called-in to the scrutiny committee; the Council should think again."
The only concession in the sell off is a requirement for any future development to provide fifteen allotments on Hilton Lane to `address the low level of local provision' but that is nothing compared to the loss of yet more open land in the city. Residents in Walkden believe that there is a full-on attack on green space by Salford Council with yet more sell-offs to follow...
* See also previous Salford Star article The EWEFA Cup - click here
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Sharon Higgins wrote
at 14:40:25 on 24 February 2015 |
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| Planning to appeal to Planning Inspectorate and Secretary of State regarding the Community Preservation Act (CPA)and other relevant land and planning laws, UDP, Section 62A etc. I'd like to see Peel Holdings and Salford City Council held accountable and put under closer scrutiny to verify if they are adhering to the law regarding the green field sites being sold off around the City, particularly Walkden. |
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shirley jones wrote
at 16:28:36 on 14 October 2014 |
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| Well, well, well, look what we have here......
www.churchcc.co.uk/
….Sainsbury’s , WCC and Lancashire County Cricket Club ……no surprise there then!!!! Soon to come to Walkden maybe???……. but where to move Walkden Cricket Club too???? After all they will need a bigger entrance….. as would a new Sainsbury's!!!
‘……Lancashire Knock Out Cup
Following a successful 2011 season, the Club will, for the first time, take part in the Lancashire Knock Out Cup. Our opponents in the first round are Westhoughton Cricket Club and the fixture will be played at their new ground which boasts a £1million clubhouse! Westhoughton have recently benefited from huge investment following the sale of their former ground to Sainsburys and the facilities are such that they now host Lancashire County Cricket Club second team matches. The date of the fixture is yet to be arranged but keep watching our website for further details....' |
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shirley jones wrote
at 13:16:28 on 14 October 2014 |
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| Just to update....Strangely enough (or maybe not) re Sainsbury's connection mentioned in an earlier post to this site and what happened to Westhoughton Cricket Club where it was moved off site &the land sold to Sainsbury's, in Kendal Sainsbury's have done exactly the same there with Kendal Rugby Club. Sainsbury's are moving the rugby club to a different site with new club house so once again they're happy so not likely to object. Can anyone see a theme forming here?????? When will these Councillors and our MP, who refuses point blank to meet with local residents despite several requests now, wake up and smell the Sainsbury's coffee!!! This site isn't available and isn't suitable for housing. So what do you think will happen when they find out they can't afford to remediate the contaminated land to build the said houses on??? Ooooops well they'll just have to sell it to Sainsbury's won't they!!!! Even the Deputy Mayor refuses to answer any of the questions we've asked of him, not a one! Why's that we wonder???? Why also have they blatantly ignored requests or documents, reports, emails between Councillors, employees and Redwaters developers? Then they have also not yet responded to an internal review by management as to why they haven't abided by the law. Next step is to take it to the Information Commissioner. So to summarise, local residents have been misled, lied to on occasions, been drip fed certain info only when it suits i.e. after deadlines have passed, have been denied information that we were entitled to under the law after valid, reasonable, polite legal requests were made without any reasons being given as to why not. Salford Council have just totally & blatantly ignored it, meaning that currently Salford Council are breaking the law. Yet they keep insisting to Salford citizens that they are abiding by the law with all of this. No they're not. They're also ignoring completely all their own policies that were agreed with the Planning Inspectorate in London. SO WHY ALL THE SECRECY SALFORD COUNCIL??????? WHAT IS IT THAT YOU DESPERATELY WANT TO KEEP HIDDEN FROM THE PEOPLE OF WALKDEN????? DO WE REALLY HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL A PUBLIC INQUIRY OR JUDICIAL REVIEW TELLS US??? Like with the Salford Reds scandal...The truth will always out and it has no sell by date!!! This land, currently protected for good reason, doesn't have to be sacrificed to refurb the old cricket club & existing football pitches, they can still do that if Lancashire Cricket Club are so determined to be involved. Hill Top Moss is not for sale to anyone for any reason, which part of that do they not understand?????? We would ask Cllr. Lancaster but he too refuses to meet with the local residents. Too busy no doubt trying to fool the 'wider community' i.e. the good people of Walkden & beyond, that their sudden hype, a fairy tale story, of a '£1 million pound Sports Village' isn't all a load of rubbish. Even the Mayor can't be trusted it seems, one minute he's standing side by side for a photo shoot with the campaigners at Barton Moss trying to save their green open space then surreptitiously sells the rest from under our noses hoping people won't notice before the deadline has passed. Ask yourselves why all of the above and don't be fooled by them again and remember all this at voting time!!! |
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shirley jones wrote
at 08:18:08 on 08 July 2014 |
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| Why do we need all these new houses all of a sudden? Where's the proof? Don't you think it might be the government once again brainwashing everyone into believing something to be true when it isn't just because it suits them and their hidden agenda's? Probably most of them have shares in building companies. It's just crazy! Think about it, we shouldn't be led like sheep. Stop companies sitting on Brownfield sites that are then left to become an eyesore just so they can make more profit from it when land prices go up, make them release that land before council owned green belt or public open space land. All the groups currently fighting these sell offs and unnecessary developments in Salford should join together. Demand a public inquiry into them all!! |
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Steve Phelan wrote
at 19:56:17 on 07 July 2014 |
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| Can the old coal mine shafts of Little Hilton and Walkden cope with the addition of another 350 properties. And the changes that will increase as build starts, it's not that long ago Wimpy built on old restawhile factory,and the plans got changed on the quiet during the build to make two 2 story apartments into 4 story monstrocities that are an eyesore and removed our digital TV signal... We complained, but neither Wimpy or the council gave a dam, because we just live here!!! These councillors wouldn't approve it if it was on their own doorsteps and blocked their views.. This council is tearing the whole fabric of Salford apart... |
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shirley jones wrote
at 19:56:11 on 07 July 2014 |
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| The same thing is happening up near Blackleach Country Park off Hill Top Road, Walkden. This land is actually an extension of the Country Park scheme but that seems to have been forgotten about. It's a haven for wildlife and much used and appreciated. It will be a huge loss to the entire community, just so a chosen few can throw a few balls around. It's been in the control of Arts & Leisure for years and was always down as recreational use under the UDP. Residents here were the last to know but in a short space of time have got over 350 names on a petition. We had 2 weeks, even less for most people, to object. Then we find out that the council have already been negotiating for 2 YEARS with a developer who wants to build houses on it!AND they have given them a 6 months exclusivity deal to buy the site if the proposal is agreed, and that's before residents got to know. The pay off is do up the old cricket club. This was very similar to Westhoughton Cricket Club, but there they ended up moving it completely, land was being sold to build a Sainsbury's on, last I heard. Council and councillors say nothing has been done yet and no decisions have been made.....dur! What have they been 'negotiating' for and about then for 2 years? How did they arrive at their behind closed doors deal to grant a 6 month exclusivity deal to the so called developer or whatever they are??? Anyone know of Redwater Homes Ltd? Seem to have connections with lots of companies and a big interest in the cricket world. Why does that not surprise me!! Seems like a great deal has been done already to us. Sorry but in my opinion stinks to high heaven as they say. Wish all residents would write and complain as we have. |
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wrote
at 14:57:38 on 07 July 2014 |
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| Council call in? too little too late. This council wont be happy until it sells off everything of value in Salford. They(cllrs) wont care-the old dinosaurs that rule at the town hall will be long dead before it all comes crashing down. People of Salford wake up to what's going on, cant you see they are destroying the fabric and soul of this city piece by piece. What type of legacy we will leave future generations I dread to think. In years to come our future councillors will be apologising for their forebears past actions which have resulted in the desecration of a fair old city. |
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mary ferrer wrote
at 12:48:40 on 07 July 2014 |
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| Call-ins are not worth the paper they are wrote on. If the decision is overturned at the call-in, it then goes to full council and you are then back to square one. What needs to happen within this city is to get an indepentent body to oversee what is happening in Salford, not just with this,but ALL the things that are happening behind closed door. This Labour council are getting away with so much, with little or no challange. |
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Brian Francis Kirkham wrote
at 12:48:37 on 07 July 2014 |
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| Sadly, the residents of Worsley and Walkden are being exposed to a fact we in Central Salford have been exposed to for a while now - In this city - what Peel wants - Peel gets. I've no doubt they sweet-talked the residents into accepting their proposals - but the conservatives should wake up , they've let this go on under their watch in central government for many years - perhaps because every bit of land property sits under either belongs to the council or companies acting for the Duke of Westminster. But is it OK to turf up areas in Salford Central for a profit to save green fields in worsley? A Balance needs to be found - and its sadly lacking at present. |
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B N Velope wrote
at 12:48:32 on 07 July 2014 |
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| Peel must have big pockets to keep all the clowncillors in . |
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