Bolton Council tries to force Bridalwear shop to move to Town Centre Location

A BRIDAL shop could be stopped from moving to a new premises — because Bolton Council wants it to come to the town centre instead.

Bridalwear by Emma Louise wants to relocate from its current base in Wigan Road to a vacant office building in Chorley New Road, Halliwell.

However, council officers are recommending that planning committee members refuse the application on the grounds that the business should be made to come to Bolton town centre.

According to a report being sent to a planning committee meeting tomorrow afternoon, the council believes the business could instead relocate to areas like Newport Street or Bradshawgate.

However, the applicant has already rejected around 30 other sites for reasons including price, size, parking facilities, and being located next to pubs, betting shops, and takeaways.

One objection to the council’s stance states: “The council should be encouraging successful businesses to grow in the borough and not attempt to manipulate them to a location which is considered inappropriate for their business.”

It added: “Due to the lack of investment in the town centre, increasing social issues and high level of void units, this location is not suitable for this type of business.”

Council officers say that the business had failed to demonstrate that it could not be reasonably be accommodated within the town centre.

They add: “Officers note the views of the applicant and their supporters who believe that the Council, as Local Planning Authority, should not be manipulating businesses into locations such as town centres that the businesses owner considers to be inappropriate.

“However, the “town centre first” approach has been adopted by the Government in the National Planning Policy Framework.”

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/15432418.Council_tries_to_stop_bridal_shop_relocation_____in_bid_to_move_it_into_town_centre_instead/

Bolton council seem to be clueless to me, i'm glad i don't live there anymore. The lady should just move to another town who would welcome her with open arms and not try to force where she can operate her own business.

As it is the shop owner that is paying all the bills, rates etc then it should be up to them where they move to and it should have nothing to do with the council.

I just can't believe that the council are trying to tell them where they can move to.

I found this shocking too. Its up to them where they want to relocate to, not Bolton council's. Maybe if the council made it more attractive to move into a town centre location, companies would jump at the chance to locate there.

Would you want to go into the town centre now if you had a business? Every time i go back it looks worse than the time before! Empty shops surrounded by takeaways, pawn shops and betting shops 

Talking about the Town Centre have you read the latest about Asosn and the building Morris paid £300,000 of the council's money too?

A DEVELOPER has been forced to give up plans to turn the home of the former Asons Solicitors into flats — after being told the building has been sold to a mystery buyer.

It emerged yesterday that Empire Property Concepts wanted to convert Newspaper House, in Bolton town centre, into 66 flats.
A planning application had been submitted to Bolton Council for a change of use of the office building in Churchgate, which was previously occupied by The Bolton News for 25 years.
The developer was planning to purchase the property from current owner Asons Estates if approval was granted for the housing proposal.

However, bosses at the Doncaster-based firm were stunned to discover yesterday afternoon that the office block has now been sold to another buyer.
A spokesman for Empire said there was a 'gentleman's agreement' in place with Asons Estates, which they were 'disappointed' has been broken, and that the planning application would be withdrawn immediately.
Northwood and WEPA, a bathroom tissue and kitchen towel manufacturer, currently rents the third floor of Newspaper House for its offices and says it is unaware of any development plans.
A spokesman said: "We have a contract here to the end of 2019 and that remains unchanged. We will be in the building until then."

Asons purchased the site for £902,000 in April, 2016, after the law firm shelved plans for an £8 million base in Clarence Street.
Last November, it was revealed that Bolton Council had awarded the firm a controversial £300,000 grant to help refurbish the offices.
That money was repaid in full when Asons Solicitors ceased trading in March. Both Asons and Coops Law, the practice to which it was sold, have since been shut down by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/15435896.REVEALED__Why_plan_to_convert_Asons_offices_into_66_flats_was_abandoned_at_last_minute/?ref=mrb&lp=4

What's the betting it's been sold to another member of the family that owned Asons and another "new" solicitors doesn't end up there?

Bolton Council planning committee have now made a decision...

To summarise our first application:

Bridalwear by Emma Louise wants to move from Wigan Road to a new premises in Chorley New Road.

However, council officers have recommended the plan for refusal because they think the business should be moving into the town centre instead.

The business has already rejected around 30 other sites, including some in areas like Bradshawgate and Newport Street.

The applicant, Emma Salisbury is speaking now. She says they have agreed a 12-year lease in principle for the new site.

She adds that if the application is refused, the business would be forced to move out of Bolton.

She says it would be a "huge blow" to the family-run business if it can't expand to Chorley New Road.

Cllr Linda Thomas says she could not imagine a more perfect location for the shop.

She adds that she wants to see properties like this brought back into use and not drive a business like this away from Bolton.

Cllr Thomas moves the application for approval.

Cllr Critchley is having technical difficulties yet again. He'll get the hang of the new microphone system one of these days.

He adds that he has no problem with the application and seconds the approval.

Cllr Peel says that council officers have been a bit too strict in their adherence to policy with their recommendation.

He adds that the strategy to improve the town centre is aimed more at bringing in new businesses and firms based outside the town - not forcing existing Bolton businesses to move.

The proposed shop would operate on more of a consultancy basis, meeting with customers by appointment only.

There would be no window displays and customers cannot walk in off the street.

Cllr Morgan says that business owners are best placed to decide what is best for their business - not the council.

The planning office is concerned that granting permission for the building to be used for retail could allow other, less suitable businesses to move in in future.

Every councillor who has spoken so far is in support of overturning the planning office's recommendation to refuse.

Cllr Sherrington says the planning committee is here to make sure that common sense prevails.

Vote time... and the application is approved unanimously.

I think most people would say that is a victory for common sense.