Gordon Birtwistle & Burnley Liberal Democrats

Fighting for real change for Burnley and Padiham

LAKE TOWNELEY – SITE OF A SUPERSCHOOL?

January 24th, 2007 |

The Government’s Environment Agency has given a damning verdict on the Labour County Council’s plans to build Unity College on playing fields adjacent to Mary Townley Fold.
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Mr Allen Harris of Mitella Street asked Lib Dem MEP Chris Davies to take the matter up on behalf of Brunshaw and Fulledge residents. The Environment Agency said, “We would advise against any building on a site like that!”
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Chris, who is the Lib Dems’ environment spokesman in Europe, obtained the advice from the Environment Agency’s Director of Water Management after Chris saw the site for himself. He said, “The ground was obviously badly waterlogged, over three feet deep in places. It was more like a lake. I’m worried about where all the water is going to go when it rains after the site is covered in concrete and tarmac.”
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Â Cllr John Jones wades through the proposed site

Chris Davies MEP meets David King, the Director of Water Management with the Environment Agency

Mr Harris said, “I’m pleased that the heavyweights are getting involved in the campaign now. It’s a sure sign that we are being taken seriously. What we really need now is a Public Enquiry so that all this evidence can be put before a judge.”
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Mike Heavican, whose Fulledge Colts play regularly on the site, said that the County Council had damaged it by driving JCBs on it to dig bore holes during their surveys. He said, “I don’t know why they needed to do that. Just look at it! It’s obviously unsuitable to build a school there. The new school should be built on the existing site.”
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Other local residents agreed. Susan Dicioccio of Olympia Street, pointed out that using the playing fields site would lead to traffic problems whilst other residents were concerned about litter.
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Serious floods across Europe have caused over 700 deaths and cost €25 billion in damages since 1998, according to the Government’s Environment Agency. They say the problem of flooding is going to get much worse. Figures for annual damage from flooding in the UK could rise from the present level of Â£1 billion to about Â£25 billion in the worst case scenario, according to the Agency’s figures.

Mindful of this, Burnley Borough Council refused to sell land it owns to the County Council. The land is needed to build the school on the flood plain. As a result the County Council are pursuing a Compulsory Purchase Order, which the Lib Dems are campaigning to have referred to a Public Enquiry.