‘new tebay’ plans in balance
PLANS for a ‘Tebay-style’ motorway service station for the M56 - to be built on green belt land - are hanging in the balance.
Cheshire East council’s planning committee gave the proposal for the service area, similar to the revered Tebay stopping point on the M6 in Cumbria between junctions 7 and 8 of the M56 next to Tatton Park, the green light in October last year - in the face of 150 objections from residents and local groups.
The site is on the border between Cheshire East and Trafford, whose planning committee had already voiced its disapproval of the scheme. Cheshire East’s decision angered campaigners, who say they haven’t given up hope of stopping it.
Planning law stipulates because the development is on green belt land, the secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, Michael Gove, will get the final say. The ‘informal’ campaign group has written to Mr Gove appealing to him to ‘call in’ the decision, but he is yet to adjudicate on whether the site is a sufficient ‘special circumstance’ to waive the land’s green belt status.
HE WAS one of Oasis’s founding members. But bassist Paul ‘Guigsy’ McGuigan has rarely been seen in public since he quit the iconic Manchester band at the height of their fame back in 1999.
But this week the bassist was pictured for the first time in years. Fittingly enough, 30 years to the month since Oasis first blasted onto the music scene with their debut single Supersonic.
Guigsy, 52, was pictured strolling around North London, where he now lives, in casual jumper and denim jeans.
The bass player left the band in 1999, two weeks after fellow founding member Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs had also quit. According to Noel Gallagher, Guigsy announced his departure by sending the band a fax message.
Oasis would continue on without both Guigsy and Bonehead, replaced by Andy Bell and Gem Archer. But the band would ulitmately split after a row between brothers Liam and Noel in 2009. Since leaving the band, lifelong Manchester City fan McGuigan has kept a low profile away from the showbiz scene.
He declined to take part in the Oasis Supersonic film in 2016. And when Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher was asked about Guigsy in 2019 he said: “Not seen him since he left the band (1999) and he only lives up
Alan White, Bonehead, Liam Gallagher, Guigsy and Noel Gallagher before their Knebworth gig in 1995
the road.” Guigsy’s stroll this week comes amid feverish anticipation among Oasis fans about what is afoot from the band this year. An announcement was made earlier this month ‘from the band’ unveiling an early live recording of their debut track Supersonic.
April 11 marked the 30th anniversary of its release and a new limited edition 7ins and CD format were released to celebrate the historic moment. Meanwhile August will mark the 30th anniversary of the release of their seminal album Definitely Maybe.
And the band’s PR company added: “News of activity to celebrate the 30th anniversary of ‘Definitely Maybe’ to follow in the coming weeks.”
Liam Gallagher is already scheduled to play a raft of sold out live gigs across the Summer playing Definitely Maybe in its entirety.
Fellow Oasis founder member Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs has also confirmed he will appear at those shows, which includes four nights
at the new Co-op Live Arena in Manchester.
Bonehead, Guigsy and original drummer Tony McCarroll first started their band in Manchester in 1991 officially starting life as The Rain. They were said to be unimpressed with original singer Chris Hutton and Bonehead suggested auditioning his pal Liam Gallagher as the replacement.
Liam would in turn suggest the name change to Oasis – with his brother Noel later recruited to the ranks on the proviso he would become the songwriter and leader.
Liam told the M.E.N. earlier this year how excited he was to be planning the Definitely Maybe gigs which all sold out within minutes of going on sale last year. He said: “I just can’t wait to play some of those really old ones that we haven’t played since the 90s you know.”
When the M.E.N. asked Liam earlier this year about the prospect of a full Oasis reunion, he said: “It isn’t happening. Well, it isn’t happening this week anyway.”