A developer has lost its fight to build on 'pleasant rural land'.

The government's planning inspectorate threw out an appeal against Bolton Council decision to refuse outline planning permission to build 30 homes in Westhoughton.

A public inquiry was held into the plans for land east Of Former Hartleys Farm Wingates Lane.

Hollins Homes Ltd submitted an application to build on the land in February 2021, but this was refused by Bolton Council in August 2021.

However, the developers appealed this decision, and this was then taken to a public inquiry, where the planning inspectorate refused the application with the decision made this week.

In his appeal decision letter planning inspector Adrian Caines said: “Although not part of a landscape designated within the development plan, or elsewhere as being of particular recognised value, the site is open and undeveloped with a pleasant rural character.

“It contributes positively to what is a prevailing open rural feel to this edge of settlement location, notwithstanding the influence of the M61.

The Bolton News: Aerial view of the proposed developmentAerial view of the proposed development (Image: Google)

“These positive qualities can be easily appreciated by users of the surrounding public footpath network, and to a lesser extent when passing along the M61 and by some local residents living around the site.

“The proposed development would have a strongly urbanising effect on the existing open, rural character of the appeal site, changing it from open countryside to a housing estate.”

But, Mr Caines did highlight that there is still an urgent need to address the council’s five-year housing land supply, which the proposed plans could help deliver.

Westhoughton North Cllr Andrea Finney attended the inquiry on behalf of residents of Wingates Lane.

She spoke against the development, and says the decision is the right step forward for the community.

Cllr Finney added: “When I became a councillor, one of my main pledges was to protect our green spaces and the infrastructure in Westhoughton.”

The Bolton News: Hartleys Farm in Wingates Lane, WesthoughtonHartleys Farm in Wingates Lane, Westhoughton (Image: Google)

Before the appeal, Cllr Finney says that residents said that this development would have an “enormous effect” on the rural aspect of the area.

Cllr Finney’s main concerns were the increased traffic that would happen as a result of the development, and the negative impact it would have on the rural area.

She added: “Westhoughton is bursting at the seams with houses, and we really can’t take any more.

“Wingates Lane is right outside the old farmland, and it is not designed to take this amount of traffic with people coming in and out of Westhoughton.

“We have got a lovely piece of green land with footpaths going through.

“This would change the countryside field.

“People have great views of the fields, where they can see Rivington and Horwich.”

She also says in particular that people are already struggling to get through Church Lane which runs through Wingates Lane, due to it being very narrow, and many people parking in the area.

 

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