THE fate of Westhoughton Cricket Club's proposed ground switch will be decided next week.

Two years after club members approved plans to leave the current Tyldesleys ground on Cricketers Way -- after more than a century of cricket -- the scheme will finally go to planning councillors.

A site visit next Thursday morning will precede the committee meeting where a final decision is expected.

Although the plans were given the approval of Westhoughton Town Council at the start of December -- against the recommendation of planning officers -- elected members have been urged by planning officers and a senior councillor to turn down the deal which would see them put 83 houses put on the existing site.

Officials from the club say the sale of the land to developers Bellway Homes is essential if the club is to buy a new plot at The Hoskers where cricket and rugby pitches, a pavilion with new changing facilities and 61-space car park will be built. The move is being heralded by club officials as the solution to the growing problems being faced by the cricket club and the town's junior rugby league club.

While cricket bosses are worried that spiralling insurance costs -- brought on by repeated vandal attacks -- will force them out of existence in just a few years, rugby club leaders say members deserve better facilities. Youngsters have to change in metal partable buildings with no shower facilities and have no chance of progressing to senior leagues unless they are bailed out by the cricket club who have offered them the use of the building.

Club chairman Brendan Derham said: "The planning committe meeting will be the most important yet regarding the club.

"Along with my fellow trustees, committee members and genuine supporters, I trust that the decision made will be the right one to enable the club to stay alive and move forward for the benefit of Westhoughton and Bolton."

But a 625-strong petition in opposition to the housing development has been handed to planning officers ahead of the meeting.

The action group Save Westhoughton Act Now (SWAN) is keen to protect the town from more houses.

SWAN chairman David Chadwick said: "From our perspective, the last thing Westhoughton needs is another building site. Bolton has exceeded its annual target for houses and there are around 1,500 more planned for Westhoughton."