CAMPAIGNERS against developing Cranberry Moor, Darwen, were today celebrating a decision by Blackburn with Darwen Council to commission an ecological study of the area.
Residents have fought plans to develop an activity centre on the moor, to be used for horse riding and quad bike activities, fearing it would spoil the land and mean 70,000 extra car journeys on single-lane Cranberry Lane each year. The man behind the proposal is landowner Duncan Bell. In response to the overwhelming opposition, including a protest walk last year, the council pledged in October to act to prevent the blocking of footpaths and any further destruction to the urban common land of Cranberry Moor.
Now campaigners have received the news they hoped for as the application is expected to be withdrawn.
Adam Scott, director of regeneration, housing and neighbourhoods for the council, said: "We have commissioned a detailed study into the ecology of the common and how it can be best managed and monitored for the future. It will be designed to protect its amenities and preserve its open nature as a public common. We have done this with the owners of the common and have been talking with local people.
"In the meantime no action will be taken in relation to the proposal for motorcycling on the moor and the application will not go ahead."
Campaigner Peter Hodgson, of Cranberry Bottoms, said: "We are very pleased that the council seem to be taking things seriously but we are still concerned about the lack of progress. They have said they are commissioning consultants to do the ecological study so we will have to wait and see.
"We don't know exactly what has been agreed between the council and the developer. It is good that we have put enough pressure on the council that they have done something about it. When we have needed help, local people have been brilliant and people will continue to have a high level of interest in what happens in the future.
"Mr Bell has said there will be no motorbikes on the moor. We are keeping an open mind."
Elaine Marsden, Mr Bell's partner, has confirmed that they will be working with the council and will not be applying to use motorbikes on the land. She added that the couple's intention all along had been to improve the moor and offer activities for local people.
She said: "The actual site is extremely neglected but people got the idea that it is some kind of wildlife haven. The main reason we started all this was to tidy it up. Motorbiking was only included as part of the activities because that's what local people were using it for anyway.
"We have come to an agreement with the council that if we opened something there to do with tourism and made it a gateway to the moors they would be happy. Whether we make money out of it or not is immaterial. We realised that the management plan with the council is our only way of getting funding. It's not going to be a secret exercise.
"I have invited a neighbour on to the committee so that she can act as someone unbiased between us and the other neighbours."
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