‘In our view, this is just too big...’
Date published: 23 March 2009
The crane at the height of the proposed building on Beal Lane, Shaw, as seen from Grains Road
AN army of protesters were shocked to see the impact a controversial building would have on their homes after a monstrous crane was hired to give them an idea.
A 120-strong crowd flocked to Whitworth Mallinson & Co, Mill Croft, Shaw, on Saturday to demonstrate against Fulfilment Logistic’s plans for a warehouse extension and multi-storey car park at its Lilac Mill site in Beal Lane.
The crane cost £620 to hire and was hoisted up to show the height of the controversial scheme.
Campaigners sent in a deluge of texts to committee members to say they could see it as far away as Derker Station. Residents have formed the group SOS Campaign — Stop Overdeveloping Shaw — to fight the plans.
Mark Hamilton, chairman of the SOS Committee, said: “We do not want a 127ft building in the middle of town. We don’t know why developers have gone this far.
“I am urging people to attend a public inquiry into this plan on March 31. If this proposal goes ahead, you will not only lose the views to the hills but will be left without sunlight.”
Councillor Hazel Gloster, chairman of Shaw Parish Council, said it was an inappropriate development in a densely populated area.
She said: “We have set up a text, online and telephone service to hear people’s views and have been logging the addresses of people and where they can see the crane from.”
The plans have already been defeated twice, but the firm
