Wigan farm which serves as holiday retreat for Blackpool’s beach donkeys under threat again, says owners

The land, where Latham House Farm stands between junction 26 of the M6 and Spring Road at Kitt Green, is named in the draft Local Plan for Wigan as a potential site for “high-quality” employment development.

Furious farming couple Jimmy and Gillian Morris, whose family has tended the land for over 100 years, have no intention of budging.

Jimmy, 78, said: “This happened nine years ago when this plan first came up. Eventually, they said the land would remain in the Green Belt for at least the next 25 years.

“They [developers and Wigan council] keep trying to push this. We’re angry because they won’t leave us alone. We’ve been here for 100 years.”

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Jimmy said they bought the land on which the farm stands in the 1980s specifically to stop developers from building there.

He added: “I’ve been approached numerous times by developers wanting to buy the land, but I’ve always said no. We will fight this to the bitter end.”

Gillian, 58, said: “We’ve been looking after Blackpool donkeys during the closed season for 25 years. We love them. They’re wonderful animals with so much character.

“They’ve worked hard all summer, and they deserve a rest.”

Wigan Council’s cabinet looks set to approve the draft Local Plan when it meets next Thursday (April 17).

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If the plan is approved, 600 acres of Green Belt land in Wigan will be lost, reducing the town’s designated Green Belt area from 55.7% to 54%.

The plan will then go out for public consultation from April 30 to June 24.

A report accompanying the draft plan mentions “risks,” noting: “These primarily concern the proposals to release Green Belt land to create more job opportunities in the borough.

“This is likely to prompt strong opposition, particularly from local residents. We are working with the media and communications team to help get the right messages out at the right times and in the right ways.”

Copies of the document will be available on a dedicated webpage on Wigan Council’s website and in paper form at libraries in Golborne, Lamberhead Green, Leigh, Tyldesley, and Wigan.

Seven drop-in sessions will take place from 2 pm to 7 pm at various locations, including Pemberton, Golborne, Tyldesley, Astley, Leigh, Hindley, Atherton, and Ashton-in-Makerfield.

These sessions will provide an opportunity for the public to discuss the issues with planners and other town hall officials.

Final submissions on the plan will be due by May next year. The plan will undergo a public examination by the Government in the autumn of 2026, with a final adoption in January 2027.

Wigan’s Director of Place, Aidan Thatcher, said: “This Local Plan takes a ‘brownfield first’ approach, prioritizing previously developed land to allocate sites for homes, jobs, transport, green spaces, and much more. This ensures that our borough develops in the best way for both current and future residents over the next 15 years.

“The site at Junction 26 of the M6 has been included in this plan as a key opportunity to build on the success of Martland Park, the home of Heinz, and create substantial, high-quality employment, generating jobs for people in our borough.

“Changes to national planning policy mean that there is now a very strong case for considering this site within a ‘grey belt.’ As such, the council has a responsibility to bring it forward in a responsible manner and not leave it vulnerable to inappropriate development by external parties.

“Subject to agreement at cabinet, this plan will be out for public consultation at the end of this month, and we would encourage everyone to learn more about our wider ambitions for the borough and share your views.”