HORWICH Town Council has expressed concern about the lack of consultation over plans for a multi-million pound development at the Reebok Stadium and Bolton Arena.

Councillors discussed the application at their planning meeting and said they were planning to contact Burnden Leisure, the company behind the plans.

The £100 million Middlebrook Masterplan will involve redeveloping the site and building on surrounding land.

Whites bosses want to build a sport, education and office development next to the Reebok Stadium, including a free school run by Wanderers.

But Horwich town councillors said that although they had no objection to expansion in principle, they had concerns over the size of the development, and that the location was on a flood plain.

They were also concerned about traffic congestion.

Councillors voted unanimously to refuse the application, which will now go before Bolton Council’s planning committee.