THE former Green Bengal restaurant in Bromley Cross has been demolished — and residents must now wait to see if a decision to reject plans for a supermarket in its place will be upheld.

Tonge Moor-based CW Construction has demolished the building in Darwen Road, formerly the Volunteer Inn and has appealed to the government to reverse a decision by Bolton Council to reject plans for a new Sainsbury’s store on the site.

The original decision to reject the application for a supermarket, two shops and a car park was made at a meeting of Bolton Council’s planning committee in March, but the developers were still permitted to knock the building down.

Residents had complained that the supermarket plan did not include enough parking spaces and that if it was built it would loom large over nearby houses.

Bromley Cross councillor and leader of the conservatives in Bolton, David Greenhalgh said: “We have actually delivered about 300 letters to the local people, urging them to email and write in to the planning inspector.

“We do want a development on the site — we don’t want it to remain an eyesore — but it has to be the right development or we will be dealing with casework on the matter for years to come.”

Cllr Greenhalgh said the original plans were wrongly thought out.

He added: “It would be in the wrong place, based on a very dangerous bend and in close proximity to schools and a train station — I hope that the planning inspector will listen to local knowledge.

“I don’t understand why the idea of some tasteful housing has never been considered.”

HISTORY OF THE GREEN BENGAL

BEFORE it was an Indian restaurant, the site was The Volunteer Inn, a landmark pub, with a fascinating past.

On September 28, 1878, John Lewis from Blackburn Rovers, T. Hindle of Darwen and W.T. Dixon, secretary of Turton FC met in the pub’s parlour to discuss creating a football league for Lancashire.

Following that meeting the Lancashire FA was formed — an organisation which has since supported thousands of footballers.

The pub was also owned by John Hamer, a successful racehorse owner and the chairman of Turton Urban District Council in 1941 to 1942.