PEOPLE in Little Lever are furious after new fencing was built at the edge of their back gardens — without the old, tatty fencing being removed.

The new fencing has been put up along the back of Ainsworth Road by construction group Bowmer and Kirkland, the firm building a Tesco store on the site of the former Pennine Pets factory.

It was erected this week and has pushed forward existing concrete pillars and barbed wire fencing into residents’ gardens.

Rina Horner, aged 61, of Ainsworth Road, claims she and her neighbours have been told it is their responsibility to take down the old fencing. She said: “The old fencing is not nice and yet the developers are just leaving it there.

“If they are putting up a new fence, common sense would suggest they should take the old one down.

“We have nothing against the building of the new Tesco.”

Neighbour Hilary Smith, aged 69, said: “The new fence makes my garden look like an eyesore. There are concrete pillars, which are falling down, blackberry bushes and rubbish on the inside of the fences.

“The old fencing should have been taken down — it’s not safe to have it there. If there’s a wind, it could fall down at any moment. If you’ve got children playing in the back garden, it’s dangerous.

“I’m determined to get this resolved as quickly as possible.”

Cllr Anthony Connell, who represents Little Lever, has spoken with developers and Mrs Horner.

He said: “I am disappointed. I would have thought it makes sense to take the whole fence down if they have put a new one up.

“It looks a mess at the back of these people’s gardens and it is more difficult to take it down now.

“I hope residents and the developers can come to some sort of agreement.”

Eric Hyde, a prospective councillors for Little Lever, said: “They shouldn’t have started putting the fencing up, they should have removed the old fencing. The residents can’t do anything about it themselves because it’s not their property — it belongs to the developers.”

A Bowmer and Kirkland spokesman added: “Our client’s representative has arranged a meeting with residents and a Bolton Council representative and their discussions will include boundary fencing.

“It is hoped a satisfactory strategy for moving forward will be agreed.”

No planning agreement on removal

BOLTON Council has said there is no agreement between the developers of the Little Lever.

Tesco site and residents of Ainsworth Road that the old fencing would be removed before the new fencing was put up.

A representative from the council’s planning committee will visit residents from Ainsworth Road, along with developers from the Bowmer and Kirkland group, today.

A council spokesman said: “There is no planning agreement in place which requires the existing fencing to be removed before the new fences are installed.

“However, we are meeting the developers about the old fencing to try and reach a solution that is suitable for all concerned.

“The new fencing which is being erected is in accordance with the planning approval for the site.”

The installation of the new fencing began earlier this week.