RESIDENTS battling the "erosion" of affluent Lostock's character are celebrating a decision to block a housing scheme.

Plans by Antler Property to build homes on a small site behind Regent Road were seen by critics as another attempt to cram as many houses as possible into the sought-after suburb.

Campaigners launched a website - www.lostock-residents.co.uk - to co-ordinate opposition to a trend they claim is placing an intolerable strain on the area.

The council was inundated with almost 200 letters of objection to the Regent Road scheme, a figure which has become typical for most new Lostock development plans.

John Brazel, who set up the website, said: "This is certainly good news. I think possibly the council is starting to listen to us. The situation in Lostock has just been getting ridiculous."

Antler Property had taken the rare course of launching an appeal to the Government because the council had repeatedly deferred its application over several months.

The firm argued that the council, who wanted more information about the impact of further housing on drainage before judging the case, was being deliberately obstructive.

Head of planning Howard Barritt said it was the first time in 10 years that a company had brought a "non-determination" appeal against the council.

But at a planning meeting on Thursday councillors voted to reject the nine-home scheme outright. The decision comes in the same month as a scheme to transform a derelict warehouse next to Lostock Station into 18 luxury apartments was torpedoed, again on the grounds of overdevelopment.

That proposal had also attracted almost 200 objections.

Residents have complained that the gobbling up of properties with larger gardens to be replaced by higher density homes and flats is damaging the road system, sewers and local schools.

Cllr Eric Hyland said: "This part of Bolton is coming under increasing stress. We have to be careful about any application."