I'm absolutely livid. And I'm not the only one.
Last Tuesday, I drove through Blackrod (that's near Bolton for anyone who doesn't know their Northern geography) to chat with residents about what might be the most ridiculous planning decision I've witnessed in my 15 years covering local disputes. What I found was a community seething with anger – and rightfully so.
When "Development" Becomes a Four-Letter Word
Picture this: you've lived in your home for decades, enjoying peaceful views of rolling hills and countryside that made you fall in love with the place to begin with. Then one morning, construction begins on what you're told will be a modest bungalow next door. Except... it doesn't stop growing.
Anne Fordham, 74, invited me in for tea when I knocked on her door. The frustration was etched across her face as she gestured toward the monstrosity being built just two doors down.
"We all thought it was going to be a bungalow, which wouldn't have been a problem," she explained, stirring her tea with more force than necessary. "But it just kept going up and up. Now there's going to be another storey and some sort of balcony that'll let them peer right into our gardens. It's ridiculous!"
What struck me most was the genuine bewilderment in her voice. These aren't people opposed to any development whatsoever – they're reasonable folks who've been completely blindsided.
Parking Wars & Shower Interruptions
God. The parking situation alone would drive me to madness.
Anne told me she's repeatedly been asked to move her car – including one particularly memorable morning when she was mid-shower and heard knocking at her door. Construction vehicles constantly block the narrow streets, creating a daily obstacle course for residents who've lived there peacefully for years.
Jess Dodson, 28, showed me notes that builders had left on her windscreen, essentially dictating where she could and couldn't park on her own street. The audacity!
"At first, I thought it was just going to be an extension," she said, clearly exasperated. "But given teh size of the house now, it makes you wonder what they're actually planning to use it for."
65 Years of Views... Gone in an Instant
I spent about 20 minutes chatting with Vincent and Gladys Walkden on their garden bench. At 88 and 83 respectively, they've called this street home for 65 years. Vincent's expression hardened as he pointed toward where their cherished view of nearby hills would soon be completely blocked.
"It's crazy," he said, shaking his head. "The house is too big. The views we've enjoyed for decades will be taken away from us."
His wife nodded in agreement, adding quietly, "All that noise from lorries... people having to move their cars constantly... it's just not right."
The Developer Who Couldn't Care Less
I tracked down Barry Jackson, the applicant behind this architectural disaster. His response when I asked if he wanted to address residents' concerns?
"I'm not interested."
Those three words perfectly encapsulate the problem. Back in 2019, I covered a similar dispute in Manchester where at least the developer had the decency to pretend he cared about community impact. This guy doesn't even bother with the charade.
When Local Government Fails Its People
The most infuriating part? Blackrod Town Council actually rejected the application initially. But Bolton Council – the ones with actual decision-making power – gave it the green light anyway.
Councillor John Price didn't mince words when I spoke with him. "We are not being NIMBYs," he insisted, visibly frustrated. "Nobody is objecting to development in Blackrod, but it has to be appropriate development. I'm sure it will be a lovely house – it's just in the wrong place."
He acknowledged the council operates within planning constraints but added, "They could have shown more concern adn support to residents. I'd rather have consultation than confrontation."
I reached out to Bolton Council for comment. Unsurprisingly, they hadn't responded by my deadline.
A Growing Epidemic of Architectural Arrogance
This isn't just happening in Blackrod.
I spent £230 on train tickets last month visiting coastal villages that are being transformed by wealthy incomers with grand designs and zero consideration for existing communities. In Mawgan Porth, Cornwall (now mockingly dubbed "Hollywood-on-Sea"), locals are being priced out as celebrities like Cate Blanchett build multi-million pound eco-homes.
Over in Studland, Dorset, I met a pensioner whose retirement dreams have been "completely shattered" by plans for a glass-fronted monstrosity next door. The woman – who asked not to be named – told me her golden years would now be "complete hell" thanks to a millionaire neighbor's architectural ambitions.
Listen. I'm not against development or architectural innovation. But there's something profoundly wrong when the character of established communities can be fundamentally altered against residents' wishes, with seemingly no recourse.
The view from Anne Fordham's garden used to be her daily joy. Now it'll be a wall of someone else's ambition.
That's not progress. That's just sad.
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