A DEVELOPER will not be allowed to take a ‘piecemeal’ approach to rebuilding a controversial luxury housing estate, town hall chiefs have pledged.

Concerns have been raised by councillors and nearby residents after two new planning applications emerged for Grundy Fold Farm, in Chorley Old Road, last week.

Sparkle Developments was ordered to cease construction on five mansions at the site last year, after it was revealed that they were built in a different size, design and location than had been agreed.

Bolton Council rejected a retrospective planning application for the site in June and told Sparkle to come back with amended designs.

However, the developer’s new applications are for the retention of just two of the five homes, rather than a comprehensive plan for all five .

But planning bosses say they will wait until applications have been submitted covering the entirety of the site before making their judgement.

A council spokesman said: “A third application for the remaining houses was due to be submitted to the council and the intention is to determine all the applications together.

“As soon as another application has been received we will update councillors and residents accordingly.”

At the Heaton and Lostock area forum last month, council planning chief Paul Whittingham confirmed that Sparkle had been given a deadline to come back with amended plans, adding that he wanted the town hall to start taking a tougher stance against developers who breach planning regulations.

Cllr Andy Morgan said: “As ward councillors we are concerned that they are going to try and circumvent the planning process by putting in these separate applications.

“We need to assess this site in its entirety, not each individual house, and that is what the public expect from us.

“I have had reassurances from Paul Whittingham that he will be waiting for all of the relevant planning applications to come in and then assess them together.

“What they are trying to do is piecemeal planning. But this site is so high-profile and the breaches are so serious that we need to assess it all together.

“This has been an absolute mess.

“In our area forum, Mr Whittingham said he wants to be tough on enforcement and we want him to stick to his word.”

At the planning committee meeting in June, a spokesman from Sparkle claimed to have been given informal permission for the altered designs by the former council planning chief Jon Berry.

The spokesman also said that the company wished to explore ways of improving the estate, and suggested adding a landscaped area for walkers and cyclists.