ARE the people of Bury being hoodwinked into accepting a huge construction project designed not to meet a real need but simply to line its developers' pockets?

I'm referring, of course, to the Townside Fields proposal, which would see several high-rise blocks, including one of 14 storeys, built on green land near the town hall.

So far we have received no reply to our written objections, sent several weeks ago to our three local Labour councillors.

Our letters and emails to the planning department and the Chief Executive have been acknowledged, but we've yet to receive a proper response to our questions or an explanation of the council's plans.

In view of this, we decided to take a look at the web pages of the council and of the property developer, Manchester's Ask Developments. Very interesting!

Before Christmas, the hurried 'consultation' event was advertised with a leaftet from Bury Council which asked local people whether they approved of the building of a 'state-of-the-art medical centre' as part of the project - a loaded question if ever there was one, since few people are going to vote against new health care provision.

However, there is no mention of any medical centre on the council's website, which says only that 'the concept for Townside Fields is the provision of four buildings which will accommodate a mix of offices, apartments, a hotel and new ancillary retail space'.

The web page of Ask Deveopments doesn't even mention a hotel. It says simply that '250,000 sq ft of office accommodation and 95,000 sq ft of residential will be developed', and notes that 'the end value' of the site will be some £30 million.

So what exactly is going on? No social need for any new buildings has been identified, and none is mentioned on the planners' web pages.

The proposal would clearly make a lot of money for someone, though.

Was the idea of including a medical centre dreamed up after the proposal was written and put online, but before the leaflets were printed?

Perhaps the medical centre is a 'sweetener' to convince residents that we should allow this monstrous project to go ahead? Maybe our councillors (especially those on the planning committee) would like to comment?

The last thing Bury needs is more concrete. This proposal would destroy Bury's skyline forever.

The buildings would overshadow our fine town hall, and the increase in noise and traffic would be unbearable. Pyramid Park forms 'phase two' of the council's plans; it too is scheduled to be concreted over. Any chance of expanding the Metrolink system east or west from Bury would also be lost.

If enough people complain now, the people of Bury can get this stopped.

Objections to the Townside Fields Development should be sent to the Town Hall, Bury, or emailed to planning@bury.gov. uk, without delay.

KATH AND BRIAN GEE

Knowsley Street

Bury