The loss of land by Bolton Council which had been earmarked decades ago for a new school has been branded a “disastrous state of affairs.”

A planning committee meeting earlier in October how the council had had to give up the land at the Beaumont Rise development near Wigan Road and Hulton Lane.

Now questions have been raised at a full about how widespread the loss of land may have been.

Cllr John Walsh said: “We were horrified, certainly nobody dissented, and I think everybody concurred.”

He said that the land earmarked for the new school was “not a small site” and that the loss of land was “not the first case of which I know.”

Questions were raised at Bolton Town HallQuestions were raised at Bolton Town Hall (Image: Newsquest)

The housing scheme had first been approved in 1988 and included an agreement to transfer just around 1.55 hectares of land to the council for the new primary school.

But in all the years since the transfer did not take place leading this year to landowner Jones Homes saying that the transfer did not satisfy current legal requirements.

They also said the transfer was no longer enforceable because of how much time had passed.

Bolton Council’s planning committee ultimately agreed to approve the deed of cancellation,

Addressing a full meeting of the council Cllr Walsh, of Astley Bridge, said that the loss of the land was a “disastrous state of affairs.”

He asked for a report on how many similar agreements may have lapsed.

Cllr Walsh said: “I think it is important that members should know what the potential risk is to this council, in terms of lost income.”

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In response council cabinet member for regeneration Cllr Akhtar Zaman confirmed that the agreement had been in place as part of a planning application in 1988.

He said: “However the land was never transferred to the council and due to the historic nature of this agreement and records it has proved challenging to understand why the land was never transferred.”

Cllr Zaman said there had been many changes to the legislation and planning service since then and that the agreement would no longer meet required legal tests.

He said that all similar agreements were now monitored and confirmed council officers were liaising about bringing more details forward to a future scrutiny meeting.