The final version of the Core Strategy was formally adopted on 11 September, with the window for legal challenges closing on 23 October. The document sets out the Council's vision of how the area will look by 2026. In relation to Ashton, the priorities are:
-improving town centre retail provision and traffic management to encourage more of us to shop locally;
-increasing town centre employment opportunities;
-improving healthcare facilities "when funding allows";
-proceeding with development on the "east of Wigan Road/Landgate" site.

On the latter, a little more detail is given in paragraph 8.29. Housing construction will be phased - so 25 new homes by 2016, 275 by 2021 and 300 by 2026. A Bryn Cross by-pass is also proposed, linking the new development directly to Bryn Road at the point where it crosses the railway. Quite how this could be accomplished whilst at the same time "safeguarding existing playing field provision" remains to be seen: presumably the by-pass would have to cut across Bryn Rec. There are also undertakings to preserve the Landgate fishponds and improve community access to 'Greenheart' (ie Three Sisters and, presumably, the canalside).

In deference to the objections raised by the inspector in August the plans for development north of the M6 Jct 25 sliproad have been dropped.

An "Allocations Plan", to be finalised by 2016, will put more flesh on some of these bones. There is a live consultation on what this plan should cover if anyone is interested.

Town: Ashton

Thank you for that summary-very helpful.

Town: AIM

Clarkey, There was always a road from Landgate Lane to a bridge over the railway lines to the Three Sisters till the 50/60s if it were to be opened up again it would bring you out on Locket Road,

To find it if you walk to the railway line on the Three Sisters side heading to Bryn you can still see the sides of the bridge that are still in place

Town: Ashton

Thanks Dougie. I've just been having a look at the road on old-maps.co.uk. You're right; it seems to disappear (or at least the bridge and eastern end of it do) in the late 1960s, I guess when work was getting underway to transform the old Garswood Hall Colliery site. There are still some traces of the road in the field by Landgate Lane - I previously mistook them for remnants of the old railway from Pemberton but it's clear from the maps that the railway arched southwards to make for a smooth connection with the Wigan-Liverpool line. I'll look out for traces of the bridge next time I'm over that way.

As for the proposed new road I think it's more likely that they'll excavate the whole area and then start again from scratch. I recall reading in some council document or other that parts of it may be contaminated due to domestic refuse etc being used to fill in the old railway cutting.

Town: Ashton