COUNCIL chiefs have submitted plans for new CCTV cameras in the Chorley to make people ‘feel safe’ in the town.

The council has submitted four separate applications last week for the cameras on Steeley Lane, Coronation Recreation Ground, the Hollinshead Street car park and also the Fleet Street car park.

The poles for the cameras will be 8metres high and will link to the Chorley Council control centre at the police station.

In the planning documents it says the Steeley Lane (East Way) camera will combat problems in the area.

“Steeley Lane is a busy retail and residential area within Chorley town centre.

“It has suffered over recent years with anti-social behaviour and as a result, an evidence based approach has justified the funding and provision of CCTV to protect the safety of people visiting and living in the area.”

Meanwhile, in the statement for two cameras on Coronation Recreation Ground it claims the cameras will ‘ensure that the recreation ground is used to its full potential.

Cllr Paul Walmsley, who is responsible for enforcement action said: “We are invested in the safety of our residents and visitors to Chorley and for that reason we are improving our CCTV in the town centre.

“Some of our existing CCTV cameras will be replaced with new ones and we are placing new CCTV cameras in areas around the town centre, on some of our car parks and on Coronation Recreation Ground.

“The purpose of these CCTV cameras is to improve public safety in the town centre so that residents can continue to feel safe when visiting Chorley and to deter people from committing offences in the first place.”

Meanwhile Chorley MP Rt Hon Lindsay Hoyle was delighted with the news.

He said: “It is correct that people parking their car in car parks or walking through the recreation grounds that they should feel safe.

“With the cuts to police budgets we have got to look at ways that we can protect people and CCTV is a good way.

“I have called for CCTV and I am pleased that the council are doing this.

“Hopefully it will go some way to making people feel safer.”

In the report it claims that the cameras will be at the top of the steel column overlooking the immediate area.

“The camera can rotate 306 degrees and can tilt +60 and -90 degrees depending on the set uses.

“Based on the camera set-up the unit is able to record in infra-red, colour and black and white, thus giving coverage at any time of the day or night.

“Cameras will record continuously, however this will only cover what the camera can see and footage will not be stored unless it relates to a specific incident of a criminal or anti-social behaviour nature.”

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