Minutes of 110th meeting on 18th February 2014
LITTLEBOROUGH CANALSIDE DEVELOPMENT GROUP.
Minutes of 110th meeting on 18th February 2014
Present: Peter Evans (Chairman), Keith Hallam, Brian Holden. Barry Horner, John F Kay, Cllr Ann Stott, Ken Rosbotham,
Apologies: Helen Evans, Bob Weatherley, Barbara Weatherley
1. Minutes of 21st January 2014 meeting (no. 109) were approved
2. Durn Marina. Deferred to item 6
3. Littleborough Volunteer Lengthsman Scheme
3.1 There was no further information at present.
4. Akzo Nobel
4.1 The public meeting at Littleborough Community School at 6.15pm on Monday 27th January 2014 has taken place and was attended by several members of the group
4.2 It was felt that the purpose of the public meeting was achieved namely:-
4.2.1 To acquaint the Borough Solicitor’s department on the legality of the previous planning consent which was granted based on discredited information
4.2.2 To acquaint the Planning officers about the proven information concerning the mines and the contamination
4.3 The planning department will now have to prepare an accurate report with recommendations as to planning conditions and restrictions to put the application to the planning committee.
4.4 The group questioned whether it was financially viable to develop the site for residential use in view of the considerable cost of complying with reasonable planning conditions to deal with the contamination. Possibly an industrial use would be financially viable and the group would follow the matter with interest as the Rochdale Canal adjoins the site
5. The Tour De France Littleborough festivals.
5.1 The Pennine Business and Tourism Forum and the Council are working on a programme of events around the Tour De France. There will be more information at next months meeting
5.2 Brian Holden informed the meeting that although Rochdale Canal Society had 350 members there were no members who wished to put on a Canal Event on Sunday 13th July 2014 to coincide with the Framer’s Market. John Kay said this was disappointing.
5.3 The Littleborough NSPCC Committee was to put on a “Bake Off Competition” on that day.
6. The Roch River Valley Park Project
6.1 The Vice Chairman, John Kay, continues to attend these meetings and has established that there is now a list of potential projects relating to the River Roch and the Rochdale Canal.
6.2 He produced copies of a timescale map which indicated work at Hollingworth Lake and in an area which has been called “Littleborough Waterside” possibly within wa 1 – 5 year timescale
6.3 Littleborough also has two areas of “Biodiversity opportunity”
6.4 It was agreed that groups in Littleborough should now work on developing the detail of projects to be included in “Littleborough Waterside” such as the Marina at Durn and other Tourism related projects
6.5 The next meeting of the Roch River Valley Park Project Committee is on 6th March 2014
7. Next meetings: Tuesdays 18th March 2014, 15th April 2014 and 20th March 2014 All at 19.30h in United Reformed Church, Victoria Street, Littleborough.