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Himalayan Balsam- change in legal status !!!!!

January 13, 2010 by steve | No comments

 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity

The order to change schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, will be made early in 2010 and will come into force on 06 April 2010.

Wildlife Minister Huw Irranca-Davies said:

“It is essential that our native species are given the protection they need to flourish.  2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity and it’s more important than ever to do all that we can to halt the loss of biodiversity.  Stopping the spread of invasive non-native species makes a real difference to the survival of our own native plants, birds and animals.”

Himalayan Balsam has been added to the schedule 9

Section 14  prohibits planting in the wild of plants listed in Part II of schedule 9, or otherwise causing to them grow there. These provisions are necessary to prevent the establishment of non-native species which may be detrimental to our native wildlife.

Link to the full story and further background. http://www.webnewswire.com/node/492309

Further information on control can be found using the links at the right hand side of this page

Friends Of Lever Park

December 11, 2009 by steve | No comments

We would like to congratulate Friends of Lever Park, on the findings by the Local Government Ombudsman against Chorley Borough Council

6 counts of maladministration

2 counts of injustice

This unfortunately does not reverse the planning decision and the injustice that this causes, including effectively closing the bridleway on Sundays.

A new application regarding the Lever Park site is expected shortly, so please watch out on the approach to Christmas and make your opinion count.

Making a Positive Difference to YOUR Community

November 30, 2009 by steve | No comments

Over the last few months, various planning applications have resulted in  residents coming together and fighting for the community. Many have formed  residents groups – something that we would encourage.

We welcome the formation of 

                          The Friends of Lever Park,

                          The  Arcon Village Residents Association,

                          The  Horwich Moor Residents Association,

                          The Montcliffe Residents Association.

     Together we can make a positive difference

 

 

I am reminded of a poem attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984)

“First they came for the communists,

          and I did not speak out

         —because I was not a communist;

Then they came for the trade unionists,

          and I did not speak out

         —because I was not a trade unionist;

Then they came for the Jews,

          and I did not speak out

          —because I was not a Jew;

Then they came for me

      —and there was no one left to speak out for me

 

If you need support to speak out, contact us with total confidentiality at BHEAG@Hotmail.co.uk

 

Friends of Lever Park

November 25, 2009 by steve | No comments

There will be a meeting for “friends of Lever Park” and their supporters on Thursday the 10th December 2009, it will be held at HORWICH CONSERVATIVE CLUB, Church Street Horwich, with an 8-00pm start.

Agenda: (i) Report on the Ombudsman’s final decision.

(ii) Report on complaint made to the Information Commissioners Office.

(iii) Outlining our intentions following the final decision by the LGO

(iv) A-O-B

Pilkington Quarry , Makinson Lane, Horwich 80931/08

October 9, 2009 by steve | No comments

Public planning meeting Bolton Town Hall. Thursday 29 October at 14:00
Site visit Thursday 29 October 10:10

This application has been discussed for sometime.

There are a large number of changes from the original application, which proposes to extract over three million tonnes of aggregate from the quarry and also process aggregate from external sources, in a 1.5 hectare site.

The application includes refilling the quarry with inert waste, to the original ground waste , ie filling with more than three million tonnes of waste.

Concerns include, veichle movement, noise (including blasting), air and water pollution, effect on the greenbelt.

At the Special meeting of the Horwich planning committee 8 October 2009, there were a large number of people who cast doubt on the applicants adherence to current planning and environmental restrictions and the fact that they do not appear to be operating using “best practice”, something that the application states is a pre-requisite.

Please see the new application 83299/09  (click “home”)

Place of Worship Greenbarn Way Community Centre Carpark 82529/09

October 9, 2009 by steve | No comments

In 1973 agricultural land was transformed into the Greenbarn Way estate.

As part of the process it was agreed that the land could only be used for residential properties and would contain a number of open spaces.

Due to increase in population it was deemed that the community centre car park needed to be enlarged. As such a parcel of land was given to the council specifically to enlarge the Community Centre Car Park. This forms part of the required open space on the estate. It is on this land that the applicant wishes to build.

The open plan design of the estate would be comprimised by the fencing around the building

Approximately 25% of the already over utilised carpark would be lost. The carpark is frequently used for community support, eg blood donations.

Himalayan Balsam

July 21, 2009 by steve | 2 comments

For further information click on the RHS link “Himalayan Balsam” on the right of this page

Energy 64 (Bolton) Ltd

July 21, 2009 by steve | No comments

Energy 64 (Bolton) Lmited, has applied for a wood burning, 20 MWe electricity generating plant on Chorley New Road, Horwich.
The plant is described as a biomass CHP (Combined heat and power) plant, however the plant will use recycled wood rather than agricultural waste. The heat energy will be enough to heat nearly 30,000 homes, providing they are withing a 1.5 Km radius of the site. Unfortunately there are no plans in the application to use this energy, nor is there any indication as to what will happen to the wasted energy.
At this time a plant that could be nearly 90% energy efficient is likely to be less than 20% efficient.

There are a number of other discrepencies within the application and BEAG ha written to the planning department asking for clarifiction

The application number is 82447/09 should you wish to write to the planning department with your arguments for or against the plant ideally by 23rd July

Annual General Meeting

June 15, 2009 by steve | No comments

The Annual General Meeting ( AGM ) of the Blackrod and Horwich Environmental Action Group will take place on the 30th June, 7-30pm for 8.00 pm at the Methodist Church, New Street Blackrod.

Items for inclusion are invited by contacting either a committe member or else via the website comments option