Places   (Help with places, streets and buildings in Wigan.)

Dear all,

Just a friendly message and some information and facts for you all. Planning permission was applied for and received by Planning on 18/08/2008 and validated on 01/09/2008. A decision was made on 27/10/2008 and Planning Permission was granted with 3 conditions. Those conditions have now been discharged. The details are free for all to see on the Council’s website – the application reference is A/08/71855. The application also involved the submission of a ‘design and access statement’ which was approved. Highways engineers were also given the opportunity to comment on the project and had no issues with access, etc. Planning requires notices to be published on site so that residents can have the opportunity to voice their opinions – subsequently those affected would have been made aware of the proposed development.

The original garden – according to old OS maps and other research, appears to have been built in the late 1920s to mid 30s. The strict HLF funding criteria was adhered to and the layout is typical of the period. There will also be decorative steel panels integrated into the railings which will sit on top of the wall. These will reflect local history and heritage. The final stage of the garden will be the planting of many species of flowering shrubs and trees. It is anticipated that the site will become part of a heritage/art trail and will prove a valuable education resource. The design follows the original footprint as true as possible but with minor compromises to conform to current legislation, etc. The final details of the design were by local consultation, advice and consensus.

In addressing the definition of garden; it originates from an Old Persian name which was then adopted by the Greeks as Paradeisos (Paradise) which defined a pleasure ground - a plot enclosed by walls; inside which plants were grown. These early gardens contained seating to relax, paving to walk around the plot and many species of flowering plants and trees. The old council records describe the original Stubshaw garden as a ‘rest garden’ – indeed there were a few throughout the Borough. The Council records also show that there was only hardstanding and shrubs/trees in the garden – grass was never on the maintenance inventory.

This is just information and is not intended as bias to anyone’s argument. There is a lot of passion here and I don’t intend to be drawn into debate. The garden will not be to everyone’s taste – each individual has their own imprinted vision of what a garden should look like. I wish you all well.