CONCERNS were raised by Westhoughton town councillors regarding the building of seven flats in Westhoughton.

Work has begun on the development, in Wigan Road, after it was given the green light by Bolton Council despite the application being rejected by town councillors.

Town councillors objected to the application based on concerns that the site was being overdeveloped, the detrimental impact the flats would have on the street scene, the close proximity to an access road to Thurston's senior citizens’ accommodation, and that there were insufficient parking spaces on the site.

In a town council meeting on Monday, Councillor Arthur Price said a problem with parking had arisen, now that the project has begun.

He said: “This application was refused by us, but Bolton Council has decided to build on it even though it is across from a nursery and a residential home.

“At the minute there is picket fencing on what was the only car park.

“We are now getting cars double parked which is affecting emergency services being able to go into the residential home.

“One of the conditions was that the planning officer would go back and have a look at it.

“I would suggest they do go back and quickly because a child or elderly person is going to be run over.”

Councillor Jack Speight also agreed that parking around the site had become a concern.

Councillor David Chadwick said: “The problem is that the application does, now that the number of car parking spaces has been increased from three spaces to four, meet the minimum requirements that are necessary and if Bolton Council had rejected it the developer would have won on appeal.

"I am not saying that it is right but it would have been difficult to reject.”