Forty new homes and a band HQ in Heath Charnock as plans are submitted

A planning application for the development on land off Babylon Lane, Heath Charnock, has been submitted to Chorley Council.

As part of the plans, Rivington and Adlington Brass Band, formed in 1864, will get a new fit-for-purpose building which will allow the band to develop into a community music hub for the local area.

The site, which is currently private grazing land, is allocated in the Local Plan as safeguarded land. The planning application has been submitted by Mulbury Land Ltd.

A previous application for 14 houses on the site was refused and an appeal dismissed. However there have been changes in planning policy and Chorley’s housing needs since then.

A planning statement in support of the application explains that Rivington and Adlington Brass, which currently has 37 senior members and 15 training members, has not been able to meet since March as the size of the building does not allow for social distancing measures to be put in place.

The proposed new building will assist the band in attracting new members and strengthen the existing membership by providing a building which meets modern standards and the specific requirements of the band.

It adds: “It will allow the band’s vision, which is for its facility to be used to provide individual tuition for anyone who wants to learn an

instrument, to be realised.

“The band has good connections with Rivington and Blackrod High School and it is their aim to expand and strengthen their connections with local

schools to the benefit of the whole community.

“The new building will assist with this aim by providing an attractive and high-quality building which will be appealing to new members.”