17/07/2026
A Huge Thank You From Save Hammond Ground
On behalf of the Save Hammond Ground Steering Group, we'd like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported this campaign.
The response from our community has been nothing short of incredible. So far, over 350 objections have been submitted, up from the already impressive 186 last time around, and we still expect that number to increase further. Every objection demonstrates just how much Hammond Ground means to local people.
A special thank you must go to our outstanding Steering Group and to Cllrs Peplow, McCrum, Hansen, and all on Read Parish Council for their support, encouragement and hard work throughout this campaign. We are also extremely grateful to everyone who has donated, delivered leaflets, displayed posters, shared social media posts, attended meetings and taken the time to submit thoughtful objections. This has truly been a community effort.
There are still important stages to come. The Lancashire Flood Authority has issued a negative response, meaning the developer will need to resubmit this element of its proposal. In addition, our independent planning, heritage and landscape specialists are due to report this month, and their assessments will help ensure that all of the key issues are fully understood before any decision is made.
We have, however, been disappointed to learn that Simonstone Parish Council has decided not to submit a formal objection to the application. We understand there were differing views amongst councillors and that, despite the fact that some councillors submitted objections in their own right, the Parish Council was unable to reach a position of formally objecting.
Many Simonstone residents have contacted us to express their concerns about the proposed development. If you live in Simonstone and would like to understand why your Parish Council did not submit an objection on behalf of the community, we would encourage you to contact your parish councillors and politely ask them to explain the Council's decision. Open and respectful dialogue between residents and their elected representatives is an important part of the democratic process, but it is not too late for this parish council to object, so make your feelings heard.
Please be patient. The planning process is thorough, and it may still some weeks or even months before a decision is reached. We will continue to keep everyone informed as matters progress.
Thank you once again for standing together to protect Hammond Ground. Whatever the outcome, our community has already shown what can be achieved when local people come together with a shared purpose.
