BOLTON Council's director of environment has been called in to rule over plans for a 61 home estate on a former tip in Heaton.

Developer Fairclough homes Ltd has revealed proposals to build 51 detached and 10 semi-detached houses -- just yards from where a housing estate was bulldozed in 1997 because of faulty foundations.

Monitoring of the Cherwell Road site -- which is still producing methane gas -- has been taking place since outline planning permission for the scheme was granted in November 2001.

Councillors on the planning and highways committee have now decided to delegate the decision to Ray Jefferson, director of environment, to enable a legal agreement to be signed prior to issuing a decision.

The agreement would guarantee that 10 homes would be sold to a recognised landlord at an average price of £58,000, 35 per cent less than the open market value.

Westhoughton Liberal Democrat Cllr David Wilkinson told the committee said: "The bulk of the residents in this area are happy the development is going ahead.

"I am behind it, but we have to make sure the foundations are right because one lot of homes has already fallen down and we don't want the same thing to happen to again."

More than 20 £80,000 houses, built by McAlpine Homes, were flattened on Cherwell Road and Washburn Close two years ago after defects were found in their foundations.

Since the tip's last use, no restoration works have taken place to manage the site.

The council has received letters from six residents in the area objecting to the proposals.

They raised concerns as to the safety of gas monitoring works and the potential disturbance to the foundation and drainage of their properties caused by building work.

Fairclough Homes Ltd has also pledged to pay £15,000 for a piece of mosaic artwork for a pedestrianised area of the development.