Residents in Blackrod are unhappy after their local Conservative club has been bought to change into flats.

Blackrod Conservative Club was bought earlier this year and plans were lodged to convert the Conservative club into 12 one-bedroom apartments.

However, residents are signing a petition for the work to be stopped because they believe it will cause problems to their village.

Elizabeth Haughton, a resident of Church Street, said she was unhappy with the development that is going to take place because there will be no parking for the people who move into the apartments.

She said: "A lot of people are concerned by the changes to the Conservative club. The apartments will impact on the end of the village and will cause problems to the nursery and doctors because of parking."

Councillors from the Horwich and Blackrod ward are also agreeing that the changes to the Conservative club could cause problems for the local residents.

Cllr David Grant, Bolton Ward Councillor for Horwich and Blackrod, said he agrees with the residents' concerns.

He said: "I agree with the residents’ concerns over parking. Twelve flats with no parking provision would equate to approx. 24 vehicles.

"This would take over the entirety of the town centres parking spaces and goes against the objectives and policies of the Neighbourhood Plan.

"The plan seeks to improve parking provision and make significant improvements to the street scene.

I have already raised objections to the planning committee and should the officer be minded to approve the application I have requested it go before the full planning committee."

Cllr Susan Baines, Executive Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing at Bolton Council, also agrees with Cllr Grant, that the apartments could cause parking problems.

She said: "This planning application, if successful is going to have a profoundly negative impact on the village of Blackrod.

"The land that the nearby nursery stands on is owned by Blackrod Educational trust and whilst this application will not be on this land, where will potentially up to 24 vehicles park?

"Presuming that each apartment could have two car owners. They will not be allowed to park at the side of the apartments as the land is owned by the trust and there are no parking signs affixed there.

"There is also another planning application going through for a further 3 flats directly across the road, who will also require vehicle parking. Where will all these vehicles park?

"One would assume that they would need to use the nearby health centre car park but there are only 16 places and a disabled parking bay, so doing so would impact on patients attending the centre and would create huge problems, as there are many elderly residents in Blackrod who need to be able to park, due to mobility needs.

"I therefore, as Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing have concerns about the impact on residents health in the village.

"Blackrod is fast becoming over developed and as a result congested. The infrastructure simply cannot cope with more developments of this kind."