From the Front Line

All well & good in principle, but he has applied to build this in protected Green Belt, in an area that is a Recognised Character Landscape in an area of the West Pennine Moors. The house itself is not in character with the area (mainly mid 18th C Pennine Vernacular) and it's location at 230m asl on the edge of a hill overlooking Bolton makes it a very prominent feature of the landscape. This is in addition to the 174ft (yes, higher than Nelson's Column) wind turbine that he proposes to locate at the edge of his "estate", which will be 400m from an attractive moorland hamlet, Scheduled Ancient Monument and Roman Road. This, in itself, will be an industrial, alien feature on an unchanged landscape that will be visible for over 30 miles and with no community benefit whatsoever. PPS7 seems to be a law for the rich alone; one of the farmers local to this proposal wanted to build a house in the greenbelt for his son, who works on the family farm, but was refused permission. It appears that if you have deep pockets, can afford the best architects and don't contribute at all to the society where you live, you can do almost what you want with impunity.

I don't know where this sudden "road to Damascus" eco conversion has come from with Mr Neville as it is at odds with his pattern of behaviour; his existing house is permanently lit up like a Xmas tree, his Bentley and S-Class Merc have been temporarily garaged away from the Press. However, he has recently taken delivery of a new 4.2ltr Audi Q7 4-wheel drive. The "green" element of the proposal & his Toyota Prius is merely a cynical ploy on his part.

Just my two penn'orth.

I bet he gets permission. Whilst the rest of us muggles have to go through the red tape of planning, he'll just flash a bit of the 8mil and bingo, where do you want it Mr. Neville?. I agree, its 'cutting edge' and I suppose you could argue it will 'improve the local area' but so is the house I want to build but I've got through the agricultural tie route.