Plans to create new rehabilitation unit at The Legacy Rainbow House rejected by Chorley Council

Jul 1 2010 by Michael Byrne, Ormskirk Advertiser

PLANNING councillors have blocked plans to create a rehabilitation unit for children with disabilities and brain injuries at The Legacy Rainbow House.

The application, which also included a sports therapy unit, was rejected by Chorley Council’s Development Control Committee as it was in the Green Belt.

Amendments to reduce the development were given to Chorley Council officers more than a week before the meeting with a request to defer the application.But members considered the original proposals and rejected them.

The scheme also included 11 accommodation lodges for holidays for diasbled children and young people.

Joe Mawdsley, Founder and Chief Executive of the charity said: “There has been some scaremongering in the local community and what has been said is untrue, misleading and unfair.

“The fears that we will become a commercial entity or a holiday park are completely unfounded. We are disadvantaging disabled and non-disabled children by not proceeding with our plans.”

Councillor Harold Heaton, Lead Member for Development Control said: “We have a duty to protect the green belt and the committee thought the special circumstances put forward by the applicant didn’t outweigh the potential harm of the development.”

Ian Paterson, Mawdesley Parish Council chairman, said: “I don’t think there has been any scaremongering about the application.

“We had a public meeting and consulted more than 60 households. On the basis of that we opposed the application on the grounds it was in the greenbelt.”