Reservoir up for sale close to Chorley moorland

WHO would want to buy a reservoir?

THE Blue Lagoon in Belmont has been the subject of intense debate after it was controversially drained.

It's for sale with a guide price of £80,000 and needs £40,000 worth of work to satisfy the Environment Agency and But that has not put off several potential buyers.

Now estate agent Lamb and Swift says the reservoir is under offer — and they may be able to identify a sale party as soon as next month.

Lamb and Swift director Nick Swift said: “We are talking to a number of parties.

"Negotiations are ongoing and we’re expecting to have something positive in the next four to six weeks.

"The preferred partner on a sale would be someone who will maintain the character of the lagoon, move it on to the next level and make it part of the community.

“We’re not going to sell it to someone who’s just going to leave it as it is now.”

The Blue Lagoon was drained in May when owner Julian Smith pulled the plug to avoid being penalised by the Environment Agency, but it filled up again at the end of last month after heavy rainfall.

It needs work to bring it up to the legal standard required by the Environment Agency, which said the 150-year-old reservoir did not meet modern flood-risk standards.

Mr Smith wanted to hand over the reservoir to the people of Belmont, so it can be managed by a trust, and residents are due to be asked what they think about the plan in a consultation exercise.

The drainage sparked outrage in Bolton and protester Railton Hirst launched an internet campaign to save the reservoir, which now has more than 4,000 members.

Mr Hirst said: “If it remains as it is, a natural beauty spot, it can only be a success.

“If it’s going to be converted into something else, then we’ll keep fighting to save it.

“What I really need to do is sit down with the buyer and find out what they want to do.”

Mr Smith was unavailable to comment.

source: The Citizen