HOWFEN SPACES

This page features community contributions made for Howfen Spaces during Summer 2021, along with my own creative responses.

Please note that this project has finished: thanks to everyone for your submissions!

About the project

During July and August 2021, I collected photographs and stories for a new community project called Howfen Spaces which documented residents’ hopes and fears around the loss of green space due to development in our town. Funded by Open Eye Gallery, the work collected from the community was shared to inspire debate and conversation about green space in the local environment here in Howfen. The project was an R&D experiment in socially engaged practice and involved:

Instigating a creative conversation about the local environment
Recording and documenting what might be gained or lost
Sharing photography skills
Providing a creative outlet for sharing hopes/fears
Exploring what that creative outlet might be with those taking part.

In addition to the community submission opportunity I also:

Led photo runs with four members of the local running community
Created ‘magic photography' packs for families living by the developments to allow children to take part
Shot a series of environmental portraits of people who had submitted their own views and photos.

Find out more

You can watch my talk with Open Eye Gallery where I’m in conversation with Emma Case and Ciara Leeming about the project.

The work is on display at Open Eye Gallery on the digital exhibition wall from 30 September - 7 November 2021.

See how the project took shape over on my Instagram story highlights, or by searching #howfenspaces.

Over the next two years Open Eye Gallery is working with partners locally, nationally and internationally to develop a programme of residencies, exhibitions and events exploring climate change and local environment impacts. I was really thrilled to be involved.

Note that any maps used in my own artwork are sourced from OpenStreetMap © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Portrait of Barrie, farm worker by Marge

"Experiments with cameraless photography. This is a cyanotype which blends an image taken by me on one of my group photo runs, with the map showing where we were - using Open Maps (open data, licensed under the Open Data Commons Open Database License © OpenStreetMap contributors)." (Image and words: Marge)

"These two units are on the former Bernstein's site on Wingates Industrial Estate. The smaller one in front is 77,800 sq feet and has been leased to Hermes. The building behind is 282,700 sq feet and has been developed 'speculatively'. It's all change from the green fields that were there when I was growing up as a kid." (Image and words: Barrie Woodward)

"This was taken from a Public Footpath that ran through an Oil Seed Rape crop in the spring of 2018. If you were to go to my left you would head to Borsdane Wood, if you went to my right, the ever so less glamorous Wingates Industrial Estate would be your first point and then on to Church Street. Straight ahead you can see Winter Hill. In the centre of the photo, you can see a green belt of land. That is where the proposed development by Harworth Group will sit." (Images and words: Barrie Woodward)

"I want to show my family the beautiful areas we can get to without the car from our home. With all the building possibilities, there is no guarantee that they'll be there in the future." (Image and words: Victoria)

"Photos taken on the 'rec' behind the houses at the top of Park Road, Chequerbent. Taken on new year's eve whilst making snowmen with my little boy and hubby. We love using this space and feel really sad that this was the last time we could do it. The trees and hedgerows on the left have already gone, to make way for houses. Many happy memories have been made over the years on the fields, with my family when they were young, playing rounders, camping, and having picnics. It was a calm, green oasis away from the madness of the traffic at the front. Very sad its no longer there for everyone to enjoy." (Wendy Foster)

"I think we are lucky that this land is unsuitable for house building because we would certainly lose this sort of open space.
I'd be happy with industrial units if they actually do create work for the local area
Less happy with Amazon as a corporati — "I think we are lucky that this land is unsuitable for house building because we would certainly lose this sort of open space. I'd be happy with industrial units if they actually do create work for the local area Less happy with Amazon as a corporation as I do wonder what they do to contribute re tax and more recently their appalling destruction of usable goods." (Image and words: Heather)

"We have spent 8 years getting rid of Japanese Knotweed and creating a haven for wildlife. I would love it if you would come and see what we have achieved and what else we have planned. I really try to get photos of the hares, but they are always too far away and quick to run out of sight." (Anne Welding)

"This will be one of the last summer walks with my family in this beautiful part of Westhoughton. Next year Peel will start to build on all of this land and we will lose one of the last remaining rural areas in Westhoughton. I am blessed that my children have seen this before it is lost but devastated they won't be able to do the same with their children." (Image and words: Chris Green)

"This is a view over to Winter Hill from a field that is marked for development and extension of Wingates Industrial Estate off the A6. I only recently discovered running and have found the footpaths and green fields around my local town of Westhoughton to have been hugely restorative and helpful towards improving my mental health. The loss of these fields to further development may not be felt keenly my many now, but future generations may not thank us... It's a terrible loss to the open feel of Westhoughton which has been under a development assault for the last 20years..." (Image and words by Jonny Melia)

"Winter Hill taken from Bowlands Hay, soon to be a housing estate." (Images and words by Derek Finch)

"On the 28th June I took my dog for a walk on the local nature reserve. This area in Westhoughton is known to locals as the Bonk. I was saddened to see the condition of the small stream which seems to be void of any life due to a substance clouding the water. Also the grassy areas adjacent to the new housing development known as Silkash was strewn with slates and bricks. Who actually checks this area to ensure that the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is being adhered to?" (Images and words by Susan Voce)

"Roscoe farm, Bolton road, now a building site 🙁" (Images and words by Julie Smith)

"This particular photo was taken in June 2021. The drilling rig was parked up in a field at what is now going to become a Harworth Group development at Wingates, which was recently given Secretary of State approval (Bolton Planning reference 04766/18). You can make out Westhoughton Town Hall Tower in the background. The sheep oblivious of what is to come." (Image and words: Barrie Woodward)

"This particular photo was taken in 2012. This is at Bowlands Hey Farm, where I had been rolling in the fields (With a tractor and ballast roller not literally rolling about). Going down the Golf Club Road (Old Lane), you came to a public footpath, on the left, that I've always known as Pingot Path, which is actually Dobb Brow Road I believe. Between that path and Pennington Brook were 4 fields. This was taken from the corner of the one with the pond in (We called it Duckies) looking over towards the golf course. Today there is not a blade of grass to be seen on this spot. According to Google Maps this would have been at approx 53.549359318907335, -2.533035466089153." (Image and words: Barrie Woodward)

"This is a comparison shot from the same spot but 8 years apart. On this particular day in 2013, I was taking a break during haymaking, eating my sausage and chips by the side of the pond in a field we called 'Duckies'. I saw the reflection of the tractor in the pond and took a photo. Almost exactly 8 years later, I walked back down the Golf Club road and it's completely unrecognisable. Not a blade of grass in sight. You can still see the tower in the background." (Image and words: Barrie Woodward)

"This is ‘Hodge’ the hedgehog who visits our garden at night. We set up a trail camera which captures photos and videos of the wildlife as it passes through. The loss of green spaces leads to the loss of habitat for beautiful creatures like our ‘Hodge’." (Image and words by Gillian Wroe)

"Looking across the Belway development from the Fairways on a recent photo run. The birds are sat watching all the commotion wondering what's going on." (Image and words: Marge)

"As I head round my usual run route I'm thinking about all the development in Westhoughton and how are services (and roads!) are going to cope." (Image and words: Marge

"Piling begins at one of the developments. This is a still image from a video taken on a recent photo run." (Image and words: Marge).

"Once a quiet path to the golf course, now a building site either side of the path." (Image and words: Rebecca Owen)

"Passing by the Hulton Park Estate on a photo run. Reflecting on what we're losing and what we might gain. Will the proposed nature trails really become a reality?" (Image and words: Marge)

"Delivering family cyanotype 'magic photography kits' for children in the community to create their own responses." Image and words: Marge

"Experimenting with cyanotypes. Shot of flower on periphery of development space." (Image and words: Marge)

"Taken with an iPhone clip-on macro lens during recent photo run around one of the development sites' public footpaths." (Image and words: Marge)

"My photograph is of our dog Lola. We live near the current Bellway building site and the path shows our regular dog walk which has changed over recent months. To the right there is building works and to the left there are fields with proposed works. We as a family will be sad to see the fields go but our house is only 20 years old and was built on what were green fields. Our daughter now wants to live near where she grew up so this is an opportunity for her to own her first home in her home town. We’re sad to lose the green belt but people need homes too." (Image and words: Kathryn)

"It's horrible because God put us here to be with nature and now we are destroying it." (Image and words by Kate, age 10 years)

"This is the view I look at in the morning and view before I close my eyes at night, its the Western Fields at Over Hulton on Westhoughton border. The fields are farmed by the tenant Farmer H Leigh and the fields regularly have sheep and cows in. When I was a baby my mum used to push me in my pram along the public footpath through the Hulton. Estate so when I had the chance to purchase our house I did whatever I could to have the opportunity, so this view is absolutely priceless to me. I see wildlife regularly from farm animals to bird life, Deer, owls and bats we are so very lucky to live in such an amazing ecological area. Unfortunately Peel L&P have decided otherwise and subject to being awarded the Ryder Cup, they propose to build over 2000 homes on these fields which they say will fund the golf course. Acres of hedgerows and trees will be destroyed as a result. Please support HEART who are doing everything possible to keep the ancient woodland untouched for our generations." (Image and words: Carolyne)

"Family stroll today through local beauty spot. Fingers crossed this is one of the areas that is going to remain protected otherwise my children will have very few areas to stroll and walk thru in years to come." (Image and words: Victoria)

"Running through farm land that will no longer be there in a few years, to Borsdane." (Image and words: Heather)

"I went out for a very wet run with marge at the beginning of the week. I was given a real education not just on photography (which was great) but on how much of our beautiful green space is being gobbled up to build yet more houses on, I knew it would be a lot but was honestly shocked seeing it in real life." (Image and words: Helen)

"I've been making the most of what will probably be the last year of running with these views. It feels almost as if every green space is being transformed into something a little less green. I've lived in Westhoughton for 7 years and the area has developed quite drastically in that time. I appreciate the need for change as the world changes but it's beginning to feel a cramped." (Image and words: Katie)

"This was a panoramic shot taken 26 July 2021 looking up the fields from a footpath that runs off the Westhoughton Golf Club course. I tried to position myself in a place where no man made structure is visible. I didn't manage it in the end. This was the best spot, but you can just see the roof of a Wingates Industrial Estate Unit on the right. The respective farm buildings are behind the clumps of trees. This will of course all change in the not too distant future with the Harworth Group Development." (Image and words: Barrie Woodward)

"I’m so fortunate to live by Cunningham Clough where I walk most days." (Image and words: John Ramwell)

Artwork by Bethan (age 4) and Maeve (age 8). Maeve said: “I don’t like the building site because it spoils the lovely views. It used to be a field where people had picnics but no-one can do that now. But maybe there will be children living in the houses when they are built who I can make friends with and who will come to my school. And there will be new people in our community.”

"How to cut a very old hedgerow if you are Peel Holdings. The Peel representative said the hedgerow was growing into the footpath. So instead of giving it a trim like anyone else would they use a chain saw to cut down a hedgerow 150 years old. Behind the hedge is a piece of land with trees which they have started to cut down. I wonder what will be next?" (Image and words: David Wilkinson, reproduced from original Instagram post with permission).

"Open spaces have always made me feel better. My mental health struggles at times and being in the presence of endless skies and land helps me rebalance. I walk through these spaces I'm lucky enough to live by and I just feel better. The thought of them disappearing has the opposite effect, it fills me with anxiety and fear that we are losing our identity as a semi rural area, that the landscape that I love will become like any other suburban sprawl and I won't know where I am." (Image and words: Louise Ireton)

"I used to enjoy running along Platt Lane with countryside views on either side of the road- a time to ‘switch off’ after a busy day at work and enjoy the endless views…. But not anymore, this is the current view which will soon be me houses. Westhoughton’s green spaces will soon be non existent 😞." (Image and words: Christine)

"It's autumn and the leaves are changing colour." (Image and words: V, aged 5.)

"I tried to take a picture the other night, whilst I was out in the garden, of the bats swooping around and the owl perched on its favourite vantage point, i.e. the roof of our neighbours' extension. Unfortunately, you can't see a flipping thing. I really need to hone my photography skills. Sitting out until 11pm on these balmy nights, just in complete silence, has brought home more than ever what a variety of wildlife there is around here. All of the different calls and sounds as they fly, swoop and scurry around in the undergrowth. Owls, bats, deer, foxes, rabbits - probably plenty of moles too judging by the molehills. We often see hedgehogs 🦔 but the other night we saw the biggest one yet (found courtesy of one very inquisitive Jack Russell). We checked him/her over just to make sure the dog had done nothing more than had a good sniff and a bark, before returning the little creature to safety under the hedgerow at the back of the garden. Usually it is pregnant females that are large like that (or so I was once told by a hedgehog rescuer). Well, this one must have been having octuplets. Lol. To think there is all this on the fields at the back of Lee Bank, yet only metres away on the other side of Platt Lane the diggers are at full pelt displacing the poor creatures, to build houses that should be being built on brownfield sites. What with those and all of the houses they built a few years back; further down on the old Barr's site on the other side of the fields - under Wigan Council's jurisdiction - the overdevelopment of such a small area is, quite frankly, ridiculous. We must try to preserve some green space and prevent this urban sprawl that these greedy developers are hell-bent on." (Images and words: Catherine)