Hall Hill fields, on watch

The lower part of this land was sold at auction on 2nd June 2011. We were advised that there was a lot of interest in the land and that the reserve price was more than the £90,000 guide price! However, we believe that it did not sell in the auction and that it was later sold by private agreement. We know the buyer to be a Mr Sinclair.

In October a large part of the sold land has been strimmed.

On 25th October the site was discussed at Bollington Town Council's Strategic Planning Committee meeting in the presence of c.30 members of the public. It was agreed that a community group should be established and a number of activities put in train for early action. It has since been decided to re-establish the Hall Hill/ Ashbrook Road/ Lowerhouse Residents' Association and this will be done in January 2012.

If you wish to be put in touch with this group and to receive information by email please send a message.

In December the new owner of the lower half of the fields began cutting down the young trees across the site. This was stopped by the CEC Tree Officer who has since issued a Tree Protection Order on all remaining trees on the entire fields.

Bollington Town Council (BTC) agreed at their meeting on 10th January 2012 to proceed to establish Village Green status for the lower part of the fields.

One of the largest pieces of open land within the town was put up for sale. The land is located beside Hall Hill and between Henshall Road, Moss Lane, Lowerhouse and behind the properties in Albert Road. The land is in two ownerships; the top half is presently owned by Messrs H Cumberbirch & Son Ltd. The lower part was owned by another who put it up for sale. The present ownership of this part of the land is unknown.

The land has been derelict for some decades and has been unofficially used as a recreational resource for which it is ideally suited. It extends across the hillside with fine views to the north. In total it is about 18 acres (c.8 hectares) in size with the lower part being about 9 acres (c.4 hectares) in size. It is scheduled for planning purposes as Green Belt.

At one time planning permission was given to build on the whole site but this has long since expired. According to the Borough Local Plan published in 2004 and still extant the land is designated as Open Space, policy RT6(9) applies, and it has the additional designation of a Nature Conservation Priority Area, policy NE16 applies. James Bagley is the CEC Environment Officer responsible.

On Watch!

The Civic Society will keep a close watch on this piece of land. The local community should be prepared to organise their opposition to any proposal that doesn't meet with their approval. The Civic Society can advise on what needs to be done. We also hope that the Town Plan group will consider the possibilities.

Now would be a good time to let the Civic Society know of your interest in this case so that we can inform each other when relevant information comes to light. Please email Tim Boddington now.

Tim Boddington is the Happy Valley webmaster and Vice Chairman of Bollington Civic Society with a special responsibility for planning matters.

Part of the ground alongside Henshall Road, behind the trees in the picture (right), was once the domestic waste tip for Bollington Urban District Council - around the 1950s we believe. Those were the days when any old hole in the ground would do! I understand the tip extended in a narrow deep valley down the field about two thirds of the way to Dean Valley School. It is believed that the stream that originally run open down this valley was piped in at the bottom of the tip.

This view is directly opposite Ovenhouse Lane.

According to the very old sign, now being consumed by the tree, the land once belonged to the Bollington Printing Company. They inhabited Oak Bank Mill, where Hamson Drive is today. I'm told there was much industrial waste deposited in the tip as well as domestic waste. I have been told by one time employees of the print mill that they dumped large quantities of their chemical waste here, including printing inks.