THE integrity of Bolton’s entire planning system was at stake with the Grundy Fold part-built homes inquiry, a leading councillor has said.

On Wednesday, the Planning Inspectorate rejected appeals from the owners to save the five luxury million pound detached properties, at Grundy Fold Farm.

They were built outside the agreed permission, on an open, rural, hillside off Chorley Old Road, between Horwich and Doffcocker.

The ruling means that enforcement action issued in 2018 from Bolton Council to demolish the homes remains in place and must be done within the next 12 months.

Ward councillor and cabinet member Andy Morgan said if the inspector had ruled that the homes could remain where they are and be completed it could have led to to a free for all for developers in the borough.

He said: “I’ve got every sympathy for the home owners, it’s clear they’ve had some very bad advice.

“But we’ve got to protect the integrity of the whole planning system for Bolton.

“If such a flagrant abuse of the planning system was allowed to go though then we might as well just pack up the planning department and say to everyone ‘crack on then, build what you like.”

“They have got planning permission for five houses there.

“If they had built what they had permission for there would be no issues.”

A neighbour who lives close to the development on Chorley Old Road, said he had ‘loads of sympathy with the householders, but it was the right decision’.

Ian McDonald, 55, said: “It’s been going on for too long, years now, but I think the right decision has been arrived at.

“I feel so much for the house owners.

“It must be absolutely so stressful but as far as I can see the grouping of the houses is far different to what they were supposed to look like.”

Another resident, on Scant Row, which overlooks the site, said: “I’ve been following news of the inquiry and think they have come to the right decision.

“I do feel for those who own the plots and am surprised that the building got so far along before it stopped.”

Planning permission was granted for the conversion of the former farmhouse and four new homes around a central courtyard in 2014The householders now face the option of their ‘fallback position’ which is to demolish the existing buildings and rebuild in the correct areas and to the correct size.

That planning permission, which is still in place, is for just four dwellings and conversion of the former farmhouse, which was demolished and stands partially rebuilt.

A four-day planning inquiry in March heard from plot holders and their lawyer and from Bolton Council.

Developers Sparkle demolished the farmhouse and began building afresh and partially constructed four new homes in the wrong locations and with different dimensions than agreed.

The inquiry considered two appeals from the house owners, one against the demolition enforcement and another to try and overturn a decision on a subsequent amended planning application.

Both appeals were dismissed.

In the decision notice, planning inspector Jason Whitfield said the appeals ‘would result in a greater presence of built development in the green belt than the fallback position’.

The homeowner who brought forward the appeals, Elan Raja, said that he would reserve any comment on the decision until he had spoken with his legal team.

The decision has sparked much online debate among readers.

Commenting on Facebook, Brenda Potter, said: “What is the point of putting in planning applications,then building something entirely different?

However, Lyndsay Moorhouse had a different opinion.

She, said: “What a waste.

“I think they would look quite nice if they where finished off , a lot of time and money going down the drain , times are bad enough without having to literally demolish your golden ticket.”