Historic coaching house’s future is set to be decided
9:23am Tuesday 13th November 2012 in News
THE future of Smithills Coaching House will be decided at a special planning committee meeting.
Councillors on Bolton Council’s planning committee will meet on November 29, where they are expected to make a decision about the proposals. The controversial plans from Jones Homes include converting the grade II listed coaching house into eight homes and building a further 21 houses on surrounding greenbelt land.
A planning meeting in August was scrapped by Town Hall bosses after the proposals were opposed by English Heritage, to give the company time to make changes.
English Heritage, which was set up to protect the country’s historic buildings, was concerned about the way the development would be viewed from grade I listed Smithills Hall and said it would not support plans to replace historic windows with double glazed fittings.
New plans were re-submitted by Jones Homes in October.
They include several changes, such as moving some of the proposed houses further away from woodland and the relocation of a proposed electricity sub-station. The company also said it would follow English Heritage guidance about replacement windows.
Jones Homes has said the development will not have a “detrimental impact on landscape character or setting” and added it would follow English Heritage guidance It also said it would follow English Heritage guidance about replacement windows.
But Bolton Civic Trust remain opposed to the plans.
The Trust’s chairman Brian Tetlow said: “We should never be in this situation in the first place. The proposals are contrary to the Land Allocation Plan and there should be no question at all of any so called enabling development.
“Any future invasions of the greenbelt and sensitive historic land should be absolutely forbidden.”
The special planning committee meeting will take place on Thursday, November 29, at 11am in the council chamber at Bolton Town Hall.
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