Wigan Borough Environment & Heritage Network
10:30am, Monday 3rd August 2020, via Zoom
Present:
Joe Taylor (JT), Billinge Historic Society Chair
Peter Taylor (PT), Wigan Civic Trust
Adrain D’Arcy (AD), CRESS
Kerrell Walley (KW), Climate Change Programme Manager, Wigan Council
Richard MacDonald, (RM) Wigan Council
Julie Clarke, (JC) Wigan Community Officer
Glenys McClellan (GM), Leigh Family History Society
Apologies:
Avis Avis Freeman, Leigh Soroptomists
Alex Miller, Wigan MBC
David Shallcross, Leigh Ornithologist
Minutes of last meeting: Proposed correct by Joe Taylor, seconded by Peter Taylor, agreed by all.
Matters arising: none
Kerrell Walley gave an update with the following headings:
AD reported that there was a competition for young people to receive a grant of £5,000 for support to devise an eco-related project. It was suggested that the Council should support this competition.
RM commented that as a result of Covid-19 the Local Authority had taken the opportunity to support central government in devising cycling infrastructure and control traffic to make it easier for public to avoid use of vehicles.
RM also commented that more public space should be made available for storage of vehicles to reduce the use of vehicles parking on pavements
GM commented that the Local Authority should check their own projects to ensure enough parking was provided when building new properties for people who needed carers to avoid carers having to park on roads nearby.
KW left the meeting at 11.06 a.m.
The meeting continued with others present giving their updates.
RM updated that the Historic Environment Strategy should have been approved in August but was now delayed until the 10th September 2020 when it would then go to public consultation until November.
Greater Manchester Police and Wigan Council have now obtained a Closure Order on Pagefield Mill making it now a criminal offence to trespass on the site.
The Heritage Action Zone will be launch in the autumn for the King Street Heritage Action Zone.
JC commented that the formal guidance written by the Council will be issued to property owners and developers to restore the historical look of King Street.
RM also updated that the Tyldesley Heritage Action Zone was being managed by a community group ‘For Tyldesley’. This was to restore the shop frontages of Elliot Street and incorporate Top Chapel.
AD report that the Leigh Spinners building was closed due to Fire Regulations.
He also suggested to Richard that the Tyldesley Bowling Club were struggling to maintain the Club and suggested that the Fore Tyldesley may be able to help them.
Richard will pass this on to the community consortium being set up in Tyldesley.
Date of next meeting – 7 September 2020