One last effort

The Chadderton residents battling to protect Plumpton Clough

RESIDENTS have raised an amazing £41,000 in little over a year to save open space for future generations.

They are on the brink of owning Plumpton Clough in North Chadderton after the council put the 6.5 acres up for sale. But they now need help to raise a final £5,269 which has to be paid in the next 12 months.

Jackie Bird got the ball rolling when the land next to her house in Norley Close went on the market shortly after she moved there from Bolton.

She and her partner paid £250 to get it dropped from auction and, with council backing, started a massive push to raise £55,000 to buy the land and cover the council and legal costs.

They wanted to make sure the land, which is a popular place for children to play is never developed and used for community events.

A total of 74 people have now become shareholders in Plumpton Clough Ltd, bringing in £39,300, with fund-raising events adding £1,671.

The sale is expected to be completed in the next few weeks after the group handed over £38,950.

The council has agreed to defer the outstanding amount until next year — with £8,760 already pledged.

Miss Bird, one of three directors of Plumpton Clough Ltd, said: “I cant tell you how hard it has been — I have lived, eaten and breathed it. We have done phenomenally well with the residents with all the meetings we have had and the funds we have generated.

“Times are hard and that has made it doubly impressive to get the amount we have raised to keep it as a community space.

“We are at the stage where residents have given every penny that they can. We are so near yet so far.

“We are determined that no stone will be unturned in raising these funds, but we need new sources.”
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