Atherton Protest: Horses Join Green Belt Fight

0:00On April 20, protesters in Atherton near Wigan hit the streets to fight a massive development on prime green fields. The plan calls for 500 homes and an industrial park at Giffield Park. What made it wild horses and ponies who grazed those lands for decades marched right alongside the crowd. This kicked off as part of a national day of action for nature, led by the Giffield Preservation Group. Besides sandwiched between Daisy Hill and Wigan Road, and it's still in the early pre-planning phase with no formal application filed yet. Over 50 folks turned out, joined by a tractor from a local farm. They paraded into Atherton Town Center, drawing honks from passing drivers and picking up more supporters along the route. Many said they just learned about the push to pave over the town's last big green space. Peel land, the developers, point out the lands been flagged for growth in the greater Manchester places for everyone plan. Wigan Council Greenlit, that in 2024, and right now, they're just consulting on a master plan to address community worries.

1:03As this green belt showdown brews through more talks, locals are drawing a line in the grass. Stay tuned for how the field told up.