Key Points
- Horwich Town Council has resolved to submit a formal objection to Chorley Council, urging refusal of planning permission for paid parking at Rivington Reservoir car parks.
- United Utilities lodged four planning applications at the end of July seeking to install eight number-plate recognition cameras and four payment machines across multiple car parks around the reservoir.
- Councillors warned the scheme could restrict access for lower-income and disabled visitors, create highway safety risks, and harm the Lever Park Biological Heritage Site and Green Belt.
- Chorley Council’s opposition leader, Cllr Mark Perks, said he was “horrified” by the applications and urged residents to object via the Chorley Planning Portal rather than email.
- United Utilities says charges are not yet fixed, there is no set timetable, and any income would be ringfenced for visitor infrastructure, safety improvements and heritage restoration managed via Rivington Heritage Trust.
- Local leaders, including Horwich and Blackrod First Cllr Peter Wright, fear displaced traffic will spill into Horwich side streets and say they were not properly consulted before plans advanced.
- A petition against the proposals has attracted nearly 3,000 signatures, with residents arguing fees would undermine Lord Leverhulme’s 1902 gift of Lever Park for “free and uninterrupted” public enjoyment.
Horwich (Bolton Today) August 22, 2026 – Horwich Town Council has formally moved to block United Utilities’ plan to introduce paid parking at Rivington Reservoir, agreeing to submit an objection to Chorley Council’s planning team. The decision, taken at a council meeting on Thursday, August 20, sets the stage for a contested planning process over a popular beauty spot straddling the Chorley–Bolton boundary, where no parking charges currently apply.
What planning applications has United Utilities submitted for Rivington?
United Utilities submitted four linked planning applications at the end of July seeking permission to operate paid car parks around Rivington Reservoir. The proposals cover Knowle House Car Park, Great House Barn Car Park, Anglezarke Car Park and six further locations on Rivington Lane and Belmont Road. The infrastructure sought includes eight automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) cameras and four payment machines to be installed across the sites.
Although the car parks sit within Chorley Council’s planning jurisdiction, the changes are expected to affect neighbouring Horwich and Blackrod, where displaced vehicles could seek free on-street parking.
Why is Horwich Town Council objecting to the parking charges?
At the August 20 town council meeting, councillors raised a range of social, environmental and safety concerns. Cllr Stephen Rock argued the scheme would limit access to the countryside for people on lower incomes or with disabilities, stating:
“It limits people who are on a lower income or have disabilities to enjoy the countryside. The countryside is there for us to enjoy.”
Cllr Gordon Campbell warned of highway safety risks, loss of habitat and harm to the Lever Park Biological Heritage Site, alongside Green Belt harm. In his formal objection, he wrote:
“I respectfully urge Chorley Council to refuse planning permission for these applications,”
adding:
“I think this is one of the most important scenarios that could happen to the entire area.”
How have local politicians and residents responded?
Beyond Horwich, opposition has widened. As reported by The Bolton News, Chorley Council’s opposition leader Cllr Mark Perks said he was “horrified” when he saw the four applications before publication and expressed concern about public apathy in parts of Chorley. He urged opponents to lodge objections through the Chorley Planning Portal rather than by email to ensure they are formally recorded.
In Horwich and Blackrod, First Cllr Peter Wright told The Bolton News the plans would affect his community because Rivington is so popular, with drivers likely to park on side streets in Horwich if charges are introduced. He added:
“I know they have some good plans going, like extending some of the car parks and making new spaces near Lower House,”
but said:
“Of course we’re going to try and stop it if we can.”
He also noted that while United Utilities had contacted some smaller councils, it would have been preferable to engage Horwich Town Council directly.
Public opposition has also coalesced online. According to the Manchester Evening News, a petition titled against United Utilities parking at Rivington/Lever Park had gathered 2,716 signatures at the time of reporting, with commenters warning fees would deter visitors and push cars into more obstructive parking.
Explore More Bolton News
Ramsbottom–Rawtenstall–Bolton 236 Bus Route Reinstated: Lancashire Consultation 2026
Bolton Walking Group Celebrates 15th Anniversary in Bolton 2026
What does United Utilities say the charges are for?
United Utilities maintains that the proposals aim to manage rising visitor numbers rather than generate profit. A spokesperson told The Bolton News:
“The increasing popularity of Rivington creates challenges including congestion, unsafe parking, pressure on paths and heritage assets as well as impacts on local residents and businesses. Without significant new investment, these issues will continue to grow.”
The company says it has been engaging with residents, businesses and councillors on a proposal for car parking to be operated by Rivington Heritage Trust, with no fixed timetable and charge levels not yet agreed. It added:
“We will take the views of local people into account when setting them. We are in discussions with both Chorley Council and Lancashire County Council to ensure any proposals will help reduce congestion and improve safety for residents and visitors.”
Crucially, United Utilities states that funds generated from car parking will be ringfenced for site improvements. These include creating new and refurbished car parks with bay markings, upgraded footpaths and signage, new toilets, a new visitors centre, restoration of heritage assets including Liverpool Castle, education and engagement spaces, and on-site staff to manage visitors and protect the landscape.
How might charges affect access and the Lever Park legacy?
Critics argue that introducing fees conflicts with the spirit—and in some views, the legal intent—of Lord Leverhulme’s 1902 gift of 400 acres of Lever Park to the people of Bolton
“for the free and uninterrupted enjoyment of the public”
and
“for the use and enjoyment of the public forever,”
later reinforced by the Lever Park Act 1969. Petitioners contend that charging for access undermines this legacy and could suppress visitor numbers, harming small businesses and community life around the park.
One petition comment cited by the Manchester Evening News warned:
“By implementing parking fees, you will only redirect cars to park in even more obstructive ways than they do now,”
pointing to weekend congestion on the road across Rivington Reservoir. Another asked why United Utilities would not instead create new parking areas on its own land.
What happens next in the planning process?
The planning applications are being considered by Chorley Council, which has authority over the car park sites. Horwich Town Council’s resolution means it will now submit a formal objection to Chorley’s planning team, joining other individual and organisational responses.
Cllr Mark Perks’ advice to use the Chorley Planning Portal underscores the importance of submitting objections through the official channel to ensure they are weighed in the decision. United Utilities has reiterated that there is no fixed timetable and that charge levels remain undecided, indicating the scheme could still be shaped by consultation feedback and the planning outcome.
Are there wider parking policy changes in Chorley that matter here?
Chorley Council has recently overhauled its own town-centre parking regime, revising proposals after public feedback and implementing changes from November 2025, including varied short- and long-stay tariffs and permit options. While those changes concern town-centre off-street car parks rather than Rivington, they illustrate the council’s active role in managing parking across the borough and provide context for how local authorities in the area approach pricing, permits and enforcement.
What are the key arguments on each side?
- Opponents’ case: Paid parking risks excluding lower-income and disabled visitors; could displace traffic into residential streets; may harm protected habitats and Green Belt; and appears at odds with Lever Park’s founding principle of free public access.
- Proponents’ case: Managed parking can reduce congestion and unsafe parking, protect paths and heritage assets, and fund tangible improvements—new spaces, better signage and footpaths, toilets, a visitor centre, heritage restoration and on-site stewardship—with revenues ringfenced for the site.
With Horwich Town Council now formally opposing, the planning decision rests with Chorley Council, which will weigh these competing claims alongside statutory planning considerations before determining whether to grant permission for United Utilities’ ANPR and payment infrastructure at Rivington.