PLANS to extend a golf course could lead to the creation of a new housing estate at their back door, residents fear.

Harwood householders are angered by plans to extend Breightmet golf course from nine holes to eighteen.

Land belonging to the council and Nab Gate Farm will be used for the proposed extension.

Residents, though, are up in arms about the loss of agricultural land and fear that the plans will leave a piece of green belt not included in the proposals open to housing development.

However landowner Chris Holt strongly denies there are plans afoot to build on the land and claims the Nab Gate will carry on as a working farm.

Speculation started because the proposed golf club extension stops short of the farm, and Arthur Lane, leaving a piece of land along the green belt boundary.

One resident, who did not want to be named, told the BEN: "There has been a farm there as long as I can remember and it would be a shame if we lost it.

"But what really worries me is what will happen to the rest of the land afterwards.

"It would make it easier to turn the agricultural land that was left into building land."

But Chris Holt of Dry Hillock, Stitch Mi Lane, said Nab Gate tenant farmer Arnold Davenport now needed less land because, due to the BSE crisis, he had decided to concentrate on pigs rather than cows.

Mr Holt said: "This application is just about extending the golf course. The farm will still be workable and we will not be trying to build on the green belt."

The proposals are expected to go before the planning committee on July 10.

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