Plans to rebuild a Bolton hillside mansion, which was demolished as it was built too big and in the wrong place, were thrown out today by councillors.

The planning application was rejected due to problems with design and the impact it will have on the greenbelt.

Grundy Fold Farm : Partially built mansions razed to the ground

However, a second plot owner, who submitted a separate planning application, was successful and building work is set to begin on the Bolton greenbelt land.

Five luxury detached properties on Grundy Fold Farm, off Chorley Old Road, were ordered to be torn down in 2018 by Bolton Council when they issued an enforcement notice for demolition, as the buildings were up to a third bigger than proposed and in different locations.

Owners of 2 Grundy Fold Farm hill-top mansions apply to rebuild the homes

The householders had one year to demolish the structures and return the site to its previous form.

This has largely been completed in the past few months.

Since then, owners of plot four and plot five put fresh planning applications to the council to rebuild the properties.

The Bolton News: Plans to rebuild plot five at Grundy Fold Farm have been rejectedPlans to rebuild plot five at Grundy Fold Farm have been rejected

Planning permission was initially granted in 2014 for the conversion of the farmhouse and four new homes around a central courtyard.

However, the five dwellings that were built were all of a different siting, orientation, footprint and design to those approved in 2014, and the former farmhouse that was approved to be converted and extended was demolished and replaced with a new dwelling.

In today's planning meeting, some councillors voted to refuse the plot five property application put forward by Mr and Mrs Thompson because they believed it was proposed to be bigger than initial plans in 2014 and it was an 'inappropriate development on greenbelt.'

Cllr Anne Galloway said the property didn't have any special circumstances that outweighed the harm.

She said: "This proposed farmhouse is one and a half times bigger than the original.

"It is an inappropriate development in the greenbelt and I don't see any special circumstances that outweigh the harm."

On the other hand, Cllr Robert Allen said he approved of the application.

He said: "The demolition of the farmhouse caused this issue.

"The effects on the greenbelt isn't no more of an issue now than the approval in 2014.

"The proposal that is put before us now is the same size.

"I'm happy to approve because we approved the same plot previously."

After debating about the pros and cons of the plot five property, the committee decided to refuse the application apart from Cllr Allen.

The owner of plot four, Hasan Ayirgan, also applied to rebuild a home at the site with some variations to scale and orientation from the existing 2014 planning permission.

The changes include re-orientating the dwelling so its front elevation now faces north by rotating it 90 degrees, repositioning the detached garage, and removing an arched porch.

The committee approved that application.