A PUBLIC inquiry into a multi-million pound housing development has finished - five weeks after it opened.

The planning inquiry began last month into the scheme to create homes at the derelict Eagley Mills building in Bromley Cross.

But it had to be adjourned after two days until yesterday at Bolton town hall for a report from the Environment Agency to ensure the area was not a flooding risk.

Specialist builder PJ Livesey Rural Heritage is planning to convert mills A, B and E into 157 apartments while the bulk of 89 newly-built town houses on the site would be built on the site by developers Bryant.

Bolton Council has supported the scheme, but it was called in by the Secretary of State because it is a departure from the development plan for the area.

The inquiry yesterday heard that the Environment Agency was now satisfied that there was no risk of flooding.

There was also discussion on conditions which would be imposed if planning permission was granted.

Mr Roger Lancaster, solicitor for the developers, said that the new homes are made necessary to make the conversion of the listed building mills economically viable.

Residents fear that it could cause traffic chaos to the already busy roads of Bromley Cross.

It also emerged that £1.5 million will be spent on road improvements and the infrastructure of the site.

There are proposals to either close part of Hough Lane to all but residents, buses and emergency vehicles in a bid to ease traffic jams.

There are also proposals to improve the access on to Blackburn Road at the Dunscar war memorial junction.

Mr Lancaster said that the scheme was "the only way" to save the listed Eagley Mills buildings.

Bolton Council lawyer Mrs Margaret Stoney added: "It is not economically viable for the buildings to remain for industrial purposes and doing nothing is not an option because it would lead to decay and deterioration of the listed buildings."

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