Photo-a-Day  (Sunday, 14th August, 2022)

Plenty of room yet, Dennis. And remember, the more people who live in Standish, the more posh people there are in Wigan Borough....

It's not full yet Dennis, not by a long chalk.

Lots Dennis. Surprised to see so many trees still standing.8vf

Look how close those houses are to each other Rev David.
You were telling us the other day about the view you have now that the trees in front of you have gone. The only view the people in these houses will have is the house in front and the houses each side.
Still, it’s good to hear that there is lots of room left in Standish. No doubt the developers will be licking their lips at the prospect.
Remember Rev David, once it’s gone it’s gone for good.

It is a very big Village.

Just a little tale for you.....when I worked at a store in Wigan, we had our name, (christian name and surname) on our badges. I worked with a very attractive young lady who lived in one of those houses, (which brought the tale to mind). A customer uncannily got a kind of strange "fixation" on her, (which she most certainly didn't invite or approve of! ), and somehow found her phone number from her surname....it was really quite frightening. I had heard of stalking but had never known anyone it had happened to except film stars. Anyway, our badges were changed after that incident to show just our Christian name, (I still have mine). The lady changed her job and went to work elsewhere in Wigan and I hope that was the end of that episode for her. I KNOW, (before anyone complains) , that my tale has nothing to do with the photo, and you are right!), but it triggered a memory, and there is no harm in sharing a story.......I think our p-a-d ladies like a little story, and I know Dennis never worries if people go "off the subject" when commenting on his photos.

Posh people David, more like Onzo's garden. Look at the row of houses in the foreground, are those piles of pallets for their wood burner? whilst next door has a fleet of what looks like scrap cars along with a couple of old burger vans.

Alan H, yes nice to see those trees flourishing.

Most of the housing shown here dates from just after the war . Note the chimneys . Much new build has been infilled within the town leaving the greenbelt relatively untouched.
I'm still able to walk from my front door into the most beautiful countryside inside a minute .

I hope posh comments are tongue-in-cheek,it's only an area of Wigan.....and yes,they still insist on calling it a 'village' !! You couldn't make it up.

You're right, Dennis - but the Government's view is that Standish should have more homes built there, no matter what the local council or people want - and they've also done away with regulations which would have seen that the houses which were built are fit for purpose now and into the future. Rooms are tiny, they're not as well insulated as they should be, and they've no future-proofing - like solar panels and heat exchangers.
New house prices go up even as they're being built - not because of cost increases for the builders, but simply because housing shortages push house prices generally up... so they can raise their prices in line. The reason the builders wanted to do away with regulations, they said, was to keep house prices low.... So buyers get the worst of both worlds - inferior homes at high prices. Time for windfall taxes on the big building companies - and use the money to fund better insulation - reducing bills and making homes warmer.

Posh . I've lived here all my life and not once have I heard anyone say ' Staarndish ' . They only folk who do don't live here .

That's a very good point to bring up Irene, you wouldn't think that full name badges could lead to trouble, but they do, Christian names okay but not Surnames. When at the council I never wore mine as it had both, if for ID purposes then yes I would show it.

When as a volunteer at The RSPCA I did for good purposes go through telephone directories and electoral registers to find a full address from a name etc., such as for unclaimed raffle prizes. Equally these could be used for bad.

I agree Poet, it tends to come from outside. I don't agree with the term ' village ' anymore, it's much too big for that now. Have you seen the tree/shrub removal project ongoing on the road below the Owls Restaurant before the bridge ? Yet more houses perhaps.

New buildings don’t blend very well in the landscape, they look like obstructions amongst the trees. Note how the church steeple ‘belongs’
As if it’s always been there…there will be more buildings in the future and hardly any trees to speak of in time.

20,000 across the channel so far this year and it's only August. That's more than the entire population of Standish. No wonder we need more houses .

I think you are probably correct WN1 Standisher about building before the bridge,A few weeks ago planning permission was granted for a new access road off Rectory Lane this could be it! If they were to build a new railway station at the same time that would be progress,the problem is the council do not want a station,i attended a council Local Access Forum a few years ago and was told it would increase traffic coming into Standish from outlying areas.The argument about delaying fast trains is incorrect as pre 1974 there were 4 tracks bvetween Standish and Euxton and that land is still available to replace the other 2 tracks and re build stations at Standish and Coppull

It would mean replacing the lines on the redundant span and use it as a stand alone sprinter line. I remember 4 tracks on this section of line but I’m not sure that lengths of it may have been built on over time. As usual, costs will be the restrictive factor. A shame really as I think Standish would benefit from having a station again. It’s got a junction on the motorway, why not a railway outlet

Volkerrail are undertaking clearance work 'just before the bridge, on the left' (if you are going towards the bleachworks from the centre).

I wonder if they might be constructing a new railway station for Standish, in an attempt to reduce traffic?
Hang on, is that a pig or a large blackbird?

Planning permission has been granted for around 120 houses between what was Johnty Devine's farm (the last building before the bridge) and the bridge. Access has now been denied from Rectory Lane and is now through the entrance to the new estate on the left jus before the Owls, much to the annoyance of the residents..