The Hoskers

Plans to build a phone mast on The Hoskers have been recommended for refusal by council officers.

The recommendation has been made to councillors, who will have to make a decision shortly.

Previously we told you how the mast would be 14.3 metres tall (48ft) and the equipment cabinet would be 158cm long, 38cm deep and 135cm tall.

But now council planning officers have warned that that mast is too big and would stand out amongst the neighbouring trees and street lighting.

It would also impose upon the Eatock Nature Reserve, the Planning Department has said.

The application will be going to Bolton Council’s Planning Committee on Thursday 16th October and the officers are asking the councillors on the planning committee to refuse the application.

Vodafone claim the mast is needed to boost the signal because there is a gap in the coverage in the area.

The application number is 80849/08 and if you any views on the application either for or against you can write to Director of Development and Regeneration or you can use the council’s website and place your comments before the decision date.

The address to submit your views is: The Director of Development and Regeneration, Bolton Town Hall, Bolton, BL1 1RU - you must quote the aforementioned application number.

The council’s website address is www.bolton.gov.uk - where you can also submit your views.
We will announce the council’s decision on this website.

Plans to build a phone mast on The Hoskers have been submitted to the council, it has been announced.

Our picture here shows the approximate location of where the new mast would be erected, along with an equipment cabinet.

The mast would be 14.3 metres tall (48ft) and the equipment cabinet would be 158cm long, 38cm deep and 135cm tall.

On the drawing submitted by Vodafone the nearest street light column is 8m tall and the tallest tree in the trees on Eatock Lodge in 11 m tall, although the majority of the other trees are much smaller.

Vodafone claim the mast is needed to boost the signal in area because there is a gap in the coverage in the area.

The application number is 80849/08 and if you any views on the application either for or against to can write to Director of Development and Regeneration or you can use the council’s website and place your comments.

The address to submit your views is: The Director of Development and Regeneration, Bolton Town Hall, Bolton, BL1 1RU - you must quote the aforementioned application number.

The council’s website address is www.bolton.gov.uk - where you can also submit your views.

This is not the first application for a phone mast on The Hoskers. A previous application, more than a year ago, was refused by the council on the grounds of ‘visual amenity’ because they wanted to situate it on a grass verge, which was on a bend in the road.

Mabel Street

The broken road surface of Mabel Street should be resurfaced - that’s the view of your Liberal Democrat councillors.

Your ward councillors David Wilkinson and Julia Silvester are calling for the road to be repaired.

Cllr Wilkinson said: “There are a number of potholes in the road and it is clear that the council definitely needs to look into our request.”

The Lib Dem team has already got new street lighting for Mabel Street.

They also had the street’s blocked gully drains cleared and they have had a new street sign erected, that features a cul-de-sac sign.

It comes after a number of drivers have used the road thinking they can gain access to the council estate.

Ruth Kelly MP

The office of Bolton West MP Ruth Kelly is at the centre of a controversy - over new shutters that have been installed at the premises.

Kelly’s office is in Wilbraham Street, at the junction of Wigan Road and Market Street, which falls within a conservation area.

'The Bolton News' reports on the shutters

The owners of the office facilities are now having to apply for retrospective planning permission. If the plans are refused the shutters will have to be removed.

The problem shutters were discovered by ward councillor David Wilkinson. The Bolton News recently reported on the issue.

They have been in touch with the Liberal Democrat team to report a number of broken parts of the road, sunken manhole covers and broken paving stones on the footpaths.

The Lib Dem team has now asked Bolton Council to consider residents’ concerns.

Ward councillor David Wilkinson said: “It makes sense to have these problems sorted out while the road is subject to the road closure.”

If the work was carried out now there would be no disruption to traffic. It would also provide a much-needed relief for residents who are often disturbed by traffic travelling over the defects in the road.

We will let you know as soon as we hear back from the council. Check back to our website for updates.

The government has sounded the death knell for the Daisy Hill Post Office, on Leigh Road, and the Hart Common Post Office.

“Under Labour more than half of the Post Offices in the area have already closed. Now if these closures go through, there will only be two left in the area,” said Jackie, the Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Bolton West.

She added: “Many local Post Offices are finding it impossible to make ends meet under Government restrictions, which has taken business away from Post Offices, including the cash card accounts for pensioners and then closed them.”

“Post Offices are a vital part of our communities. They should invest in our Post Offices and use the Urban Post Offices Renewal Fund to save our Post Offices, not close them.”

Residents had been complaining about the poor state of the road to our team.They had been promised resurfacing works earlier in the year - but are still waiting.

Your Lib Dem team has now been assured by the Council that the resurfacing will take place as soon as the gas pipe works on Leigh Road have been completed.

This is because The Hoskers is currently being used as a diversion route.

The road will be resurfaced at the same time as a number of other roads in Bolton, as a specialist company is being drafted in to do the work. The work on The Hoskers should take about a day.

The planned improvements come as Liberal Democrat councillors were able to secure an extra £1 million investment in roads and footpaths for the borough.

Ward councillor David Wilkinson said: “This is great news for residents who are unhappy with the current state of the road.”

The club, located at the junction of Wigan Road and Cricketers Way, was going to be demolished to make way for new apartments.But the plans fell through and now it is being suggested that ALDI want to launch a new store on the site.

The town is growing in size and still only has two Co-op supermarkets to cater for its population.

Labour councillors have consistently hampered the public’s choice of shopping facilities in Westhoughton.

They said NO to plans for a Tesco on Manchester Road, yet only days after the store opened two Labour councillors were spotted in the store.

They opposed plans for the new Sainsbury’s store on Cricketers Way, potentially denying brand new facilities for our local cricket and rugby clubs, as well as losing money for Market Street footpath improvements.

They also:

• Cut the town’s market hall in HALF

• Opposed plans for a new clothing store

• Opposed plans for a new restaurant to replace a betting shop

• Said YES to 3 new estate agents, but only one was established because of the collapse in the housing market.

Residents of Collingwood Way have battled against developers who want to build houses on the green field site.

But developers decided to put up the huge fence which spoils the view - and for no apparent reason.

Focus editor David was in talks with the council who have forced the developer to submit a planning application for the fence.