I MUST respond to the letter from Anne Crumblehulme about the planning application on land behind Boot Lane (The Bolton News, October31 ).

Green Belt is not an old chestnut dragged out at the planning meeting. "The Greater Manchester Green Belt Local Plan" was agreed in the 1980s to protect the openness of land and prevent inappropriate development. The land on which the houses she mentions were built (presumably Delph Hill Close) was never in the Green Belt — the site of this application was, and that was clear to the applicants when they bought the land.

It is not unreasonable to build a small stable for horses owned by the applicant. However this application was for a large building in stone with a slate roof located right in the middle of an open site. As was pointed out in the report of the planners, this building was larger than the footprint of many houses and was easily capable of being converted into a dwelling. The planners recommended refusal on the grounds that the size and siting of the proposed stable block was inappropriate in the Green Belt and because no satisfactory explanation had been given of how manure was to be disposed of.

Judgement of what is and is not appropriate development in the Green Belt is not left to the whim of the Planning Committee. There is national guidance. On the basis of this, the planners were clearly right to recommend refusal. Although there was one letter of support for the application (presumably from Mrs Crumblehulme), 11 residents wrote to oppose it, as did the Ramblers’Association.

Our ‘Focus Special’ accurately reported what was recommended by the planners and what was said at Committee. If a more sympathetic proposal is made for a smaller stable block, I would probably support it.

Roger Hayes

Smithills Dean Road

Bolton