Proposed Application for Development at Former Church Inn Birtle

Email To Rochdale Planning Department 12/1/26 

We are objecting to the above application as it includes the storage of Plant and vehicle storage.

The only access to this site is via a Bridleway.  We do not understand why the Highways comments are that no PROW is obstructed by this application, it may as well be, as it will be too dangerous to use. The only way to the property is via one of two bridlepaths HEYBP46 is the main access though access via HEYBP45 is also possible. The plan to store plant machinery and other vehicles, presumably HGV and articulated vehicles, would make the Bridleway highly dangerous to horse riders. The company "routinely manages heavy plant", which in itself points to exceptionally large vehicles. When the property was a public house, apart from the occasional delivery vehicle, the traffic was restricted to cars with most of the traffic occurring in the evening. This is in complete contrast to what would be expected should this application be accepted. Has the Rights of Way Officer been consulted and please can the highways consultation be looked at to ensure it is factually correct. Have they even looked at a Rights of Way Map. Do they appreciate the density of horses in the area? A livery yard (Mawkin Farm) is right opposite the entrance to the property where the bridleways meet Castle Hill Road. Another large livery yard with over 70 horses on it (Robinons Equestrian Centre) is a mere few hundred yards above the property off Castle Hill Road. How can road safety not be a concern when this volume of horse riding is going to be mixed with HGV traffic. Horses are probably the most vulnerable of road users, as there are 2 brains involved, one of which uses flight to escape a perceived danger.  The whole point of a PROW is to give vulnerable road users the option to pursue their activity in a safe place.

"Construction of a detached timber-clad plant and vehicle store ( 1260 m3/ 280m2).

This is the wording on the application and we suspect it is being very vague on the actual vehicles being stored on purpose. There does not appear to be a height given for this building.

This is a well used Bridleway by Horses, Pedestrians and Cyclists.  It currently provides a safe off road route, which is used by equestrians from further afield,  eg Norden, Bamford, Crimble, Heywood, Castleton.

There are several livery yards in the immediate vicinity to this site, these provide employment and the chance for the diversification for the farms. As well as the livery yards, there are many private horse owners using this area. We estimate approximately 500 Horses within a 5mile radius of this site.

Horses are mostly frightened by large vehicles,  and are likely to spin and bolt away from them, making it highly likely that an accident will occur and potentially cause the death of a horse and/or rider.

If this planning application is agreed, it is highly likely that equestrians will move their horses away from this area to somewhere with safer riding access. Thereby potentially putting livery yards, feed merchants, farriers etc out of business.

There is no alternative route for horses to leave this Bridleway without going on the shared access road to the property and a real risk of coming into contact with the large vehicles planned to use the road.

Although this is not in itself a planning consideration the visual and noise impact such use would have on the area is.

Kind regards

Pat Tough

Chair of NBH Bridleway Association