DEVELOPERS hoping to build a new housing estate in Westhoughton have been accused of felling trees, churning up land with heavy machinery and scaremongering.

Cllr David Wilkinson made several complaints against J S Bloor (Wilmslow) Ltd as Bolton planning committee considered whether to approve detailed plans for 43 detached houses on land off Forest Drive.

He accused the company of not always acting in good faith.

The Westhoughton councillor alleged the firm had felled trees on the site in between applications, churned up the land with tractors and heavy duty machinery, and threatened residents with additional housing if they continued objecting to plans.

He said: "One of the problems that this committee has come to realise is that good faith has not always been the case with this applicant."

He went on that this should be borne in mind while the application was considered.

Since outline permission was granted for residential development on the site on appeal in 1993, four applications for detailed plans have been thrown out, and an outline permission renewal was refused in June.

Westhoughton Town Council and a number of local people have lodged objections to the plans, mainly on environmental and traffic grounds. A number of concerns about the development were raised at the planning meeting.

Cllr Alan Walsh complained the proposed houses could disrupt the habitat of great crested newts and would result in a stream being polluted.

He said a hedge shown in an 1844 survey would have to be removed to build one of the houses and that the development would result in an increase in traffic.

Concerns were also raised that some of the homes would be built on unadopted roads, and calls were also made for bat and badger surveys to be carried out.

However, several councillors said developers have addressed many concerns raised by the planning inspector at a public inquiry and, as outline permission had been granted, the development should be approved.

Cllr Laurence Williamson said: "We can protect the site and retain what we think is important only if we actually accept the principle of the development. Then we can keep control of the site."

The Wildlife Trust has, conditionally, no objections to the proposals, while the Environment Agency and Greater Manchester Transport officials have raised no objections.

A report to the committee compiled by council officers said the application had addressed the outstanding issues of conflict identified by the planning inspector.

Planning chiefs deferred making a decision on the plans. J S Bloor said they did not wish to comment.