Residents step up protest against developer

Hundreds of leaflets will be handed out at a village gala by a housing protest group this weekend.
Land off Pear Tree Lane, EuxtonLand off Pear Tree Lane, Euxton
Land off Pear Tree Lane, Euxton

Residents were shocked when a developer revealed proposals for 165 new homes on a site in Euxton near Chorley. The land at Pear Tree Lane/School Lane has been safeguarded against development under a blueprint for future use – the Chorley Local Plan – until 2026.

But Cheshire-based developer Gladman has submitted an outline application for the new homes and protesters fear the company cold exploit ‘loopholes’ in the planning system to get its way.

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The protest leaflets will be distributed at Euxton Gala on Saturday in a bid to drum up more support. The Euxton North Residents Action Group will also hold a meeting at St Mary’s Club, Wigan Road, Euxton, on July 13, at 7.30pm.

Robert Bryce, on behalf of the group, said: “Chorley does have a local plan which has been approved by a planning inspector following an examination in public at which interested parties had the opportunity to make representations.

“Notwithstanding this Gladman’s case is that the local plan does not provide sufficient housing land and therefore permission ought to be granted to make up the deficit. If Gladman’s were to be successful with this argument then the implications are not limited to Euxton. Virtually any area of open space in the borough would be vulnerable to a similar attack.”

Campaigners say the land is one of the few remaining undeveloped areas outside the green belt; its lanes are used for walking, horse riding and cycling; there is an abundance of wildlife, and more houses would put pressure on infrastructure. Gladman declined to comment.

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