A BOLTON councillor has taken on the town hall in a bid to stop a footpath being re-routed past his house.

Cllr Thomas Fitzpatrick told a public inquiry that the council was wrong when it agreed to re-direct the path past his newly converted home on Everbrom Road, Over Hulton.

And the councillor, who sits on the planning committee, joined neighbours opposing plans to change the footpath which runs across the site of the former Booth's steelworks.

Mr Fitzpatrick told the inquiry that the new route would pass within metres of his house and walkers would be able to see through his windows.

He joined other objectors who quizzed town hall planning officials as they gave evidence to the government inspector at the town hall yesterday.

Mr Fitzpatrick told the BEN: "We have had problems with kids congregating on the path and drinking. This will just make the problem worse.

"We are not against the footpath itself, we just think it is the wrong route. I don't know why they do not re-route it through the new estate - bureaucracy I suppose."

The inspector was told the footpath had to be diverted to allow joint developers Barratts and Jones to build 246 houses on the site.

Mr David Manley, counsel for Bolton town hall and the developers, said the existing pathway "meandered" through garages, gardens and houses planned for the site.

He argued: "The diversion will provide a safe path for the public in an attractive setting."

Leading campaigner Mr Alan Roscoe and Cllr Fitzpatrick both argued that the new route would infringe on private rights contained in their leases and breach covenants. But that was disputed by Mr Manley.

Residents are also unhappy because plans are on the drawing board to create a public cycleway along the new three metre pathway.

Government inspector Dr John Ritchie will study the expert evidence before deciding whether the footpath diversion should be allowed.

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