Anger at tree felling store plan

They claim a wall of mature trees which face their homes and screen out motorway noise and pollution will be felled if planning permission is given to proposals to build a cash and carry store on the land.

And the neighbours along Larkhill in Farnworth intend to group together to make their feelings known when councillors pay a site visit next Thursday.

The visit takes place at 11.30am and residents are urging as many people as possible to turn up to support them.

Resident Mrs Sylvia Lee said: "We are very concerned over the proposed siting of a cash and carry to be built off Larkhill.

"After seeing the plans it appears that HGV lorries will be turning and unloading day and night yards from our homes.

"But, in addition, if the plans do get the go-ahead, mature trees which face our houses and screen motorway noise and pollution will be felled.

"The land and trees opposite our homes are tended by Bolton Council, so why allow the developer to even consider felling mature trees and leaving us with a small grass verge and fencing.

"If they get the go-ahead the trees will be replaced by a black fence. We are only talking about the application being put back a matter of yards, on the plenty of spare land behind the trees.

"Last week a very large long loader came steam-rollering over the grass and through the trees, squashing bushes and concrete posts - which we believed to be the barrier for the industrial land behind the trees. The workman was testing for mine shafts.

Protest

"A petition has been sent to the planning office from about 20 of us - as we are only a small street. There have also been individual letters of protest sent.

"I just hope common sense will prevail and that the cash and carry will be built well away from our homes. There is plenty of industrial land behind the trees to do this."

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