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Anger at change of plan
Carrington Centre, Eccleston
Residents are outraged that plans for a shopping centre are being scaled back in order to build more homes.
Campaigners battled against an outline application for 42 properties at the Carrington Centre in Eccleston at a planning inquiry last year.
The inspector found in favour of Northern Trust and it was approved but now the official plans have been shown at a public consultation.
Locals say that instead of the ‘trendy mall’, they are now going to have to settle for a small parade of shops in favour of another 20 houses.
Vivien Morris said: “The original argument given by Northern Trust for the building of more than 40 houses behind the centre was that it was the only way Eccleston could be provided with the grand, imposing, expensive mall that they deserved – as opposed to the original, a charming centre which had been allowed to deteriorate into shabbiness.
“Now that planning permission has been granted, despite a huge protest, we have a whole new set of plans.
“Now there is a simple parade of of identikit shops, which reminds me of the worst excesses of 1960s’ design, and a much smaller supermarket than we had before.
“The gradual destruction of the distinctive character of Eccleston is very sad and it would seem the public is powerless to stop it.”
Coun Keith Iddon, who represents the Eccleston area, said: “I spoke on behalf of the residents when the last proposals were put forward.
“They were of the view that the size and scale of the development as well as the number of houses was too large.
“I do appreciate the residents of Eccleston have been used to a shopping centre and these new plans have a library, post office and a reasonably-sized supermarket and they may not be happy with the proposal to have more houses instead of shops.
“I will continue to represent them in the ways that want me to in future with regards to this development.”
A spokesman for Bloor Homes confirmed that the consultation event had taken place last week and planning consent had not yet been applied for and as such nothing is set in stone.
He added that the plans were for 62 properties instead of 40.
The spokesman said: “Bloor Homes and Northern Trust would like to thank the people of Eccleston for taking the time to attend our consultation event.
“We are in the process of gathering and analysing feedback and will do what we can to address this within our emerging proposals, prior to the submission of a planning application.”
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Weather for Chorley
Tuesday 21 May 2013
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