Locals Fight Chorley Warehouse Plan: Friends of Finnington Lead Action

Two huge warehouses might be built near Blackburn. They would sit close to Chorley’s border, too. Some locals are very upset by this plan, which was proposed by FI Real Estate Management. This company also developed Botany Bay nearby.

Ann Christopher lives in Abbey Village, which is near the proposed site. She created Friends of Finnington, and local councillors help her group. Ann expects legal challenges to arise.

The group wants to raise £10,000, which would pay for legal help. They might need it to fight any court rulings, as Ann anticipates FIREM appealing rejections. They already raised about £3,500 in a week.

People living nearby strongly oppose the warehouses. The plans involve building near M65’s Junction 3. FIREM thinks it could create about 1,300 jobs. Some worry that more warehouses will follow, and a council chair thinks it’s prime land.

Increased traffic is another worry for locals. Many fear more lorries using local roads. Construction vehicles add to these concerns. The A675 already sees a lot of traffic now.

It acts as a shortcut from Bolton to the M65. The M61 sends traffic through the A674, too. They rejoin the motorway at Junction 3. This happens to avoid congestion already present.

Ann says these concerns affect many villages. She believes traffic won’t use the motorway, because it does not happen that way in reality. The warehouses’ size upsets residents overall.

Ann thinks it’s like Botany Bay again. Viewing the images scares other people.