Get on yer bike!

Acrylic-bob · 15-01-2006, 13:03

Our unelected Lords and Masters at East Lancashire Partnerships together with Lancashire County Council have decided that we are all dropping off the perch far too early and this is having a disastrous effect on tax revenues. Perplexed as to the solution to this problem they decided to spend several million pounds in consultancy fees and feasability studies and outreach surveys and specially important weekend conferences in posh foreign hotels and came to the conclusion that the best way to keep us working, and thus earning and paying tax, was to get us to keep fitter.

They have decided that we all need to spend less time sitting down recovering from the exertions of the day and get on our bikes and spend more of our "free" time cycling ourselves around our green and pleasant land. To this end they have decreed that a county wide green cycle lane should be built so that we can cycle in a largely risk free monitored environment. How Nice!

The latest phase of this project is undergoing construction behind Scaitcliffe Palace.

The lodge has been drained and a roadway is being constructed between the old Manchester railway bridge pillars, it joins the remains of the railway track which runs from Baxenden and comes out in front of Scaitcliffe Palace.

This Lodge will also be the scene of a major redevelopment effort, as detailed in the current issue of the Observer.

garinda · 15-01-2006, 13:56

The new development will have residential accomodation, fair enough, but more proposed retail space as well?

It might be a good idea to try and let some of the old and new empty shops in the town centre first, before building more.

K.S.H · 15-01-2006, 14:07

I see them bridge supports the other day and noticed they had been painted, I wondered why they had done it, now I know

SPUGGIE J · 15-01-2006, 17:00

LCC and ELP have now shown that they have totaly lost the plot. Please send for the men with the white coats needles and vans.

chav1 · 15-01-2006, 17:08

hang on i thought they wanted us to drop dead so that they dont have to pay out pensions or is it a case of they want us breathing and paying taxes but once we reach pension age it would be appreciated if we would kindly drop dead

cycle lanes..?

if your scared of traffic get off the road and use the pavement i have cycled for years yet i seriously think cyclist are getting pampered way too much with all these stupid modifications made to the roads especialy since cyclists dont pay road tax

SPUGGIE J · 15-01-2006, 17:21

Maybe they hope on the day before we are 65 we have a fatal heart attack or get hit by a lorry. They win both ways then dont they as its paid in but not paid out.

Uncle Mick · 15-01-2006, 19:56

I thought residential development was frozen in Hyndburn for the next five years as we had already built our quota of housing, or does this not apply to Barnfield construction?

Gayle · 15-01-2006, 20:12

Barnfield Construction are partners in Globe Enterprises - want to know who the other 'partner' is?

Hyndburn Borough Council

WillowTheWhisp · 15-01-2006, 22:08

This whole project has puzzled me. At first I thought they were going to be leaving the lodge as a lodge and putting some sort of roadway/pathway on top of those old pillars. Now I see they have drained the lodge and presumably this is going to stay drained and be built upon which answers my queries about where they were going to fit all the buildings they were talking about. Isn't there supposed to be a hotel involved in it somewhere too?

So now obviously the pathway is staying on ground level, which stops me worrying about cyclists flling off it and the lodge being drained stops me worrying about people falling into it but in that case why have they retained and even painted the old pillars? Don't tell me they've got a onservation/preservation order on them!

Graham Jones · 15-01-2006, 22:16

Its a 3rd 3rd 3rd with HBC, Barnfield and philanthropic individual Stuart Nevison. For the Council 2 Tories and 1 Labour (myself for my sins) sit on the board assisted by HBC senior officers (as they are not allowed - in theory - to make spending decisions with public money). As a member of GEL I can't say anything as it is a private business (subject to company law) but it has been a 10 year success story. I just wonder when our share will be sold off for election purposes?

As for Scaitcliffe lodge. I think the quotas have been relaxed in terms of ELEVATE's Housing Market Renewal programme area so as not to prevent regeneration in those areas. In any case the scheme proposes 3,000 less houses than there is currently so there is a net gain in the programme anyway.

Scaitcliffe Lodge development is upmarket flats with some retail. Backed by two private individuals, I don't think GEL are in the business of making uncommercial decisions.

The Cycleway is a very good idea (backed with outside public monies) even if it takes a few years to network nationwide. I just wish we had put more thought into the section from the Lodge down to Church.

WillowTheWhisp · 15-01-2006, 22:21

Scaitcliffe Lodge? I thought it was Platt Lodge.

SPUGGIE J · 15-01-2006, 23:00

Looks more suitable for mud wallow for pigs and elephants.

Uncle Mick · 15-01-2006, 23:10

Its a 3rd 3rd 3rd with HBC, Barnfield and philanthropic individual Stuart Nevison.
Is`nt he the head of Barnfield Construction?

As a member of GEL I can't say anything as it is a private business (subject to company law)
Is it a private business or a limited company, in which case company details are avalible from Companies House. So are you a "member", director, shareholder or what?

As for Scaitcliffe lodge. I think the quotas have been relaxed in terms of ELEVATE's Housing Market Renewal programme area so as not to prevent regeneration in those areas. In any case the scheme proposes 3,000 less houses than there is currently so there is a net gain in the programme anyway.
Does this mean that anyone can aquire land for residential development as long as it`s in Elevates regeneration area or just the council? This answer seems deliberatly vague

Scaitcliffe Lodge development is upmarket flats with some retail. Backed by two private individuals, I don't think GEL are in the business of making uncommercial decisions.
I`m sure they are not especially with the council as a partner giving the green light to planning applications.

The Cycleway is a very good idea (backed with outside public monies) even if it takes a few years to network nationwide.
It is networked nationwide and has been for a number of years, over 10000 miles of cycleways thanks to Sustrans and it`s supporters

I just wish we had put more thought into the section from the Lodge down to Church.
The only thing wrong with the section to Church is that it has never been maintained leading to the run down state it is currently in

Madhatter · 15-01-2006, 23:10

Cycle paths bring tourists, you don't think they'd do it just for you do you. The red paint is so cyclists don't ride into the pillers, it would be far to expensive to remove them wouldn't it. They didn't built things mickey mouse with crap materials back then.

WillowTheWhisp · 16-01-2006, 07:12

I can see the point about the possible cost of removing the pillars. They did bild things to last in those days didn't they?

I know the answer to this next thought of mine will be on the lines of health and safety and people drowning etc but we seem to have lost old lodges which existed before my time and even ones which I remember and yet water can be very attractive. I wonder if there is anywhere where preservation orders have been placed on old lodges? The one between Hapton and Huncoat used to look really nice but now it's just a scrubby patch of nothing overlooked by the picnic site/car park.