A REARGUARD action to thwart the School Street caravan park for fairground families has been defeated.

Despite earlier public opposition, planning bosses gave conditional permission on Tuesday (March 23) for Salford businessman Mr Derek Hackett to develop the land in Radcliffe.

Planning chiefs had advised members of Bury Council's planning control sub-committee to approve the controversial scheme.

But in a surprise move Radcliffe councillors Wayne Campbell and Barry Briggs tried to persuade the sub-committee to refuse the application.

Coun Campbell said he had visited similar travelling showmen holiday points in Atherton and elsewhere and been impressed by the standards.

But he was concerned about the site's highway problems. Radcliffe was already suffering major traffic problems and this new site would add to that, he said.

Salford businessman Mr Derek Hackett wants to buy the land, currently used as a vehicle repairs and scrap yard, and transform it into a caravan park.

He intends to create bays for ten permanent caravans, the idea being that the fairground workers would have a home base enabling them to commute to fairs held locally.

The land, which covers one hectare and which is bordered on one side by School Street and on the other by the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal, would also have ten bays for temporary caravans, vehicle maintenance areas, and space for trailer parking.

Speaking at Tuesday's meeting, Coun Campbell said: "My other concern relates to the Unitary Development Plan which has named the site as an Employment Generating Area, and this seasonal use by the travellers is not likely to bring jobs.

"There has been a lot of political hysteria created over this issue and this should be ignored. Therefore I move that this application is refused."

Coun Briggs, chairman of Radcliffe Renewal Advisory Committee, added: "To lose this site in Radcliffe at this particular stage would be a mistake." The motion was outvoted, and conditional approval was given for the scheme.

There was a victory of sorts for Councillor Glyn Heath of the newly-formed Environment and Wildlife political group.

He successfully added conditions that an amphibian survey be carried out to assess the movement of the great crested newt and that the size of the site be reduced alongside the canal to allow any future possible plan to provide disabled access to the towpath.

When proposals for the caravan park were revealed earlier this year there was widespread concern from residents. They feared it would attract "the wrong sort of people" and accused Bury Council of "dumping" on the town.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.