A PUBLIC inquiry at Bury next week will decide if a number of homes in Prestwich can keep their gardens.

The hearing is being held because an official of the Open Space Society is objecting to what he claims is a "land grab".

Mr Don Lee says the former Prestwich Council and, since 1974, Bury Council, have been paid rent for land "stolen" from Prestwich Clough to make up gardens for houses on St Anne's Road.

The footpath, designated No 47, ran behind the original gardens of the houses.

And when the gardens were extended into the Clough, the route disappeared under fences, sheds and even greenhouses.

Walkers simply changed tack and created their own path outside the "new" gardens.

Now Bury Council wants to legalise the route wth a diversion order, but the Open Space Society which has to be informed in all such cases, wants the original footpath reinstated.

"No-one knows if it was Prestwich Council which originally came up with the idea of renting the land to the houses for gardens, or if certain houses started an unofficial land grab that was made official, but that is not the point," Mr Lee told the Guide.

"The land of the Clough was given to the people of Prestwich to wander in at will."

However, Bury Council will offer evidence that the land was originally offered to householders during World War Two as part of the "dig for victory" campaign.

After the war no-one thought to go back to the status quo.

Now, as the law stands, until the public inquiry result, walkers have a right to remove the fences and all obstacles in their way to walk the still-legal path.

The inquiry will be held next Thursday, February 26 in the Peel Room at Bury Town Hall at 10am.

Anyone with views on the situation has a legal right to speak. Just give the Inspector your name.

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