A CRUCIAL grant for the multi-million pound Horwich sports village - which includes Bolton Wanderers' new super stadium - has been delayed.

Council chiefs are still waiting to hear whether a £5 million European Development Fund grant will be approved.

Cllr Bob Howarth, Bolton Council leader, met Government officials in Manchester earlier this week, but was told a decision has been postponed until the result of a planning inquiry is known.

The cash would be used for the transport and infrastructure around the ambitious development at Red Moss.

It is not expected that it would not affect the club's plans to make a start on laying the new pitch in the next few weeks.

The club already has planning permission for a mini version of the scheme which includes the 25,000 all-seater stadium, training pitches and car parking.

But Environment Secretary John Gummer is expected to announce around Christmas whether the whole £150 million scheme will get the go ahead.

This also includes shopping, leisure, business, industrial and housing uses and is expected to create more than 3,000 jobs.

But Cllr Howarth is angry that other schemes, such as the proposed Lowry Centre in Salford, have grant approval even though they have not been through the full planning process.

"It is very annoying that schemes which are not so far ahead as us are going through.

"We can apply again in the next few weeks, but it worries me that if we still don't have a decision. It could be put back until next year."

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