Wigan Borough Environment & Heritage Network
10.30 am 1st February 2021 online via Zoom
Present: Neil Linford, Tony Bishop, Peter Taylor. Kerrel Whalley, Adrian D'Arcy Paul Kenyon,Glenys McCellen, Julie Clarke, Alex Miller, Richard Macdonald, Jilly McKiernan, Avis Freeman, Kieran Sayer, Joe Taylor
Apologies: Paul Costella, Julie Hotchkiss, Jenny Griggs, Eileen Brithell
Minutes of last meeting: Approved by Peter Taylor seconded by Adrian D’Arcy
Matters arising: Paul noted Last month meeting notes shows Richard present & in apologies. Adrian explained some council staff come and go dependant on commitments that day so are left in both case they join late but will update.
Avis introduced herself as chair of group and people she had not met before introduced themselves.
Heritage: how can we market all the local heritage sites more as when council did via listening and feedback as many local delights not known. Richard explained about national heritage festival day, put on open day heritage website. Promote through groups like this & others. Kerrell Updated on efforts by Wigan Council to create a plan for the area. Neil asked for the size of the area for the national nature reserve. Kerrel talked about how council are aiming to be linking green spaces together. Tony said about wildlife corridors are very important like from bolton to Irlam passing through Atherton, Leigh & do developments take into account wildlife.
Trees: Kerrell will look at once the pandemic over to get schools involved & come back next month with a total. Adrian praised the efforts to plant trees but thinks the council does not promote the positives enough of how well it's doing making climate change a focus in borough…
Biodiversity Overview: Kieran talked about wildflower creation , looking at areas for meadow creation creating stepping stones between bigger sites. Grass was cut late last year to encourage insects, planted lots of native species & 10 native plugs. Found interesting species over borough. Continue surveys on plants to further develop meadows & spaces. LWT got money for Bickershaw planting on the peat bog. Paul Kenyan asked about grants for starting wildlife meadows & turning old places into one. Tony said councillors can allocate money via brighter borough fund, up to 300 pound. Tony Bishop explained about a wildlife meadow being developed in Lilford Park. Kerrell talked about it s high priority getting the messaging across more. Kieren will answer any questions if they are emailed to him on biodiversity.
Thoughts and suggestions on how we can promote this group throughout the borough. Should we create Twitter & FaceBook pages, if so under what name? Feedback is to continue with- word and mouth , being going for 20 years. Would need a dedicated person for Twitter & Facebook group. Times of meeting maybe evening sometimes. Venues offered at Wigan Library or at newly refurbished Leigh Town Hall by Alex Miller.
General planning control monthly feedback on new builds planning permission granted. Bloor Homes plan for the site in Beefold Lane Atherton to build 120 homes, incorporating green space and native trees. Are there others within borough. This developer is working with a local group called aspect. Tony Bishop for LOS, explained about the east of the borough lots of new builds. Aspect policing development at Beefold, New development on Atherleigh Way. 6-7 new builds on east of borough. Richard explained about the document for better environmental planning & gave link. Engagement is best way to get feedback.& that it can take 2/3 years for permissions to come through on new builds. Tony mentioned about Westleigh waterfront. Council will look to giving feedback monthly. Avis said this is great to get feedback on new builds in the borough as affects everyone.
Members input from round table: Leigh Ornithological society are celebrating 50th anniversary on 9th October at Leigh library provisional date. Paul Kenyon highlighted the under capacity of drainage network through borough noticed all over. Kerrell said it was of high importance for council to address this infrastructure which is 100 plus years old. J Avis talked about flooding in borough & how it affects. Joe talked about more fish in river Douglas & and Ospreys being seen. Praised council for efforts.
Link from Richard about build in borough Views sought on landscape design principles for developers
Next Meeting: 1st of March at 10:30 online via Zoom