Bid for ‘permission in Principle’ for Blackrod houses vote

The proposal is seeking permission in principle to build the two new houses on land off Little Scotland in Blackrod.

According to a Bolton Council planning report, the land is on the green belt, but meets the definition of “grey belt”, meaning previously developed land.

The report said: “The Green Belt assessment states that the Green Belt parcel in which the application site is located makes a strong contribution to this purpose, as the parcel plays an essential role in preventing the merging or erosion of the visual and physical gap between settlements of Blackrod and Horwich in particular as well as Aspull and Westhoughton.

“The parcel also plays a role in preventing the merger of Blackrod and Adlington to the north.”

The bid is seeking permission in principle to build two houses (Image: Bolton Council)

But the report said that the site represented only a small gap between Blackrod and Aspull.

As many as 35 letters of objection from 30 households were received about the plans raising concerns about biodiversity, ecology, infrastructure and the loss of green belt land.

They also said they were concerned the new houses, if they came to be built, would be out of keeping with the character of the area.

Cllr Peter Wright, of Horwich South and Blackrod, asked that the bid be heard by Bolton Council’s planning committee raising concerns about the use of green belt land.

He also said there could be traffic issues on a narrow road.

Blackrod Town Council also objected to the plan saying that the land has previously been used for grazing horses.

But the report put before Bolton Council recommended that permission in principle be approved.

It said: “Inappropriate development is, by definition, harmful to the green belt and should not be approved except in very special circumstances.

“‘Very special circumstances’ will not exist unless the potential harm to the green belt by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm resulting from the proposal, is clearly outweighed by other considerations.”

Bolton Council’s planning committee is expected to meet to consider the plans at town hall on Thursday June 18.