New supermarket gets go-ahead ‹ Westhoughton Liberal Democrats

New supermarket gets go-ahead

Posted by: Westhoughton Liberal Democrats Tags: cricket club, sainsburys, supermarket Posted date: January 15, 2007 | 7 Comments

Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s plans for a £7.5 million store off Cricketer’s Way have been passed by Bolton Council. As part of their planned move, they will fund a state-of-the-art new ground which will be home to Westhoughton’s cricket and rugby league clubs.

The supermarket will create around 220 new jobs in the town.

Last year, when it was revealed that Sainsburys were thinking of coming to Westhoughton, we ran a survey of residents on whether they thought it would be a good idea. We had several hundred replies and three in four were in favour of the idea. Some people were opposed because they would have preferred stores such as ALDI, LIDL and Netto. We understand that two of these supermarkets had also expressed an interest in sites in Westhoughton.

Others were opposed to the loss of the existing cricket ground. Others say there are enough stores within a five mile radius of Westhoughton such as Tesco. They say there is no need for another store.

We’d like to hear your views. Post a comment below to start discussing the issue. Posts not related to the plans will be removed.

About the author

Westhoughton Liberal Democrats
We are a group of councillors and campaigners hoping to make Westhoughton a better place to live and work.

Why we backed the Cricket Club

Plans for state-of-the art new cricket grounds in Westhoughton have been given the go-ahead.

Westhoughton...

7 Comments for New supermarket gets go-ahead

david mclaughlin

i am opposed the construction of this store as the road network from chequerbent roundabout down and along cricketers way on to wigan rd is already at full capacity. just trying to get home to green meadows is a nightmare every day and i am sure this supermarket would only make things worse.

j morley

i agree we need a new supermarket but not at cricketers way why not put sainsburys on the hoskers or on leigh road next to the new estate, there is also land on bolton road at the old mill site

Greg Bell

The road network of Westhoughton is already in a poor state, anyone who travels at peak periods will know this, therefore to add a major supermarket would invite chaos. By putting a junction on Cricketeers Way for access you would have to assume the inculsion of another set of traffic lights, four in approx 250m, plain crazy! Also why are people not asking the question about the reduction in public access, the proposal to build on the Hoskers reduces this greatly. Ask yourselves this, why does Westhoughton need another supermarket, is the community not lacking in other ammenities to which this land would be better used?

Chris Seal,Magaret Thorpe

So you think it’s O.K just to have a Co-Op in an area that has more than trebled in size over the last few years. You talk about traffic, look no further than the Reebok. If this was a housing application, it would already have been passed!!!!

Hugh Dodson

No, No, No. There are enough supermarkets close by, with one already within 200 yards of the proposal. We need as much green space as we can retain. We do not need anything which attracts even more traffic into this poorly-planned area. As to the jobs created -what about the potential losses to existing businesses?

Karen Dickie

I and many other local residents are VERY ANGRY AND DISAPPOINTED that the planning application was approved. We do not want another food outlet which will provide only duplicate the existing choices of foods and prices available at the Coop. It will not draw people into Westhoughton, and iany one who chooses to shop at the new store will be highly unlikely to then cross an extremely busy main road to buy goods from the existing shops on Market Street and may subsequently be the death of our existing high street. Further more we do not want our already limited recreational facilities relocating to a site away from Westhoughton centre, the cricket ground on Cricketers Way (the name may be relevant) is an important local venue for various youth activities cricket, rounders, etc. and not all our young participants will be able to travel to the new location (they might as well just head down to Daisy Hill Cricket club where the facilities already exist).

Christie Merrick

I for one think that the Sainsburys being built is a amazing idea, what about the many people in westhoughton that dont own a car? It would be alot easier for them instead of gettin on the bus with their weeks-worth of shopping wouldn’t it?