A PLAN to build a block of stables at a Blackrod farm has been approved in principle by Bolton councillors.

Planning officers will now meet farm owner James Johnson to discuss a set of conditions, which will be presented at the council's next planning meeting.

Members of Bolton's Planning and Highways Committee gave their backing to the plan to build the stables at Three Lovers Farm, even though the building would be in the Green Belt.

But they were worried that the scheme could bring parking problems on nearby Greenbarn Way and they asked the applicant to look at providing extra parking.

Cllr David Wilkinson said: "Green Belt has been created by farmers and they are the people who maintain it.

"This farmer is trying to do something to preserve his business and we should support that."

The committee heard that the farm needed the stables because at the moment it was only generating a small profit.

Five individual letters of objection to the plans and 90 copies of a letter signed separately by residents were received.

But Cllr Raymond Stones said: "The only problem we have with this application is the car parking. We should say that there should be parking on the site.

"Apart from that there is nothing wrong with this application. It's no use looking from gremlins."