PLANNING chiefs are to visit the site of proposed housing development that could solve a parking nightmare for hundreds of people.

A long-awaited car park extension at Lostock Station could be set to be resolved after years of struggle - but only if a nearby housing development gets the go-ahead.

For more than five years motorists have been forced to park all day in surrounding roads, upsetting residents, jeopardising safety and leading to parking ticket purges by police.

Town centre based Stone Mount Developers wants to build 16 homes -- 10 town houses and six apartments -- on disused land at Lostock Junction next to the car park and has agreed to pay for it to be extended.

But local residents fear traffic problems from the new homes which they say outweigh the benefits of having the car park extension.

The decision on the plans could be made in two weeks time after the visit.