AN application for 129 homes in Westhoughton has been recommended for refusal by town councillors.

At a town council meeting on Monday councillors gave the development by Bellway Homes, for land off Collingwood Way and Old Lane, the thumbs down.

Councillors stated that the town’s infrastructure could not handle the extra homes and additional families.

One resident at the meeting said: “The infrastructure is not able to support the additional traffic that this development will cause and I am concerned about the effect of surrounding wildlife.”

Town Councillor Gill Williams agreed saying: “First of all this is green open space, it is not greenbelt but it is one step down from it.

“Green space should not be a first resort for development. It should be a very last resort if there is desperate need for housing.

“We are not in desperate need for housing. We do not need these houses on our green land.

“The infrastructure, doctors, dentists, schools are already jam packed.

“There are probably about 10 school places left in Westhoughton.”

In its application Bellway Homes said it expected that 60 additional cars will be added to the roads.

Cllr Williams questioned where the figure had come from in regards to 129 family homes while Cllr David Chadwick said it would be “more like 258 cars calculated on two cars per home”.

Town Councillor Derek Gradwell said: he thought the developer was “living in cuckoo land” with the 60 cars figure.

Cllr Gradwell added: “My major concern is that very few residents have been notified about this development.

“Thirty leaflets have gone out, but what about residents in Wesley Street, Peel Street and Grundy Street - they will all be affected.

“I propose that the town council should write to Bolton Council to ask for a public meeting to advise all the people affected.

“I think the developer is living in cloud cuckoo land or being very optimistic believing that everyone in those homes is going to walk or use public transport because the development is “close to public transport links”.

Cllr Chadwick moved refusal on the application.

He said: “The developer is trying to paint the picture that this site is scrub land so needs housing.

“Westhoughton’s road are already chocker block, traffic already backs up on to the motorway itself, it is dangerous.

“And the infrastructure.

“We already have a problem with schools and most people buying these houses will have one or two children and that is a problem for our schools.

“It is extremely difficult to get into doctors and dentists as it is.”

Cllr Chadwick also said he was annoyed that blame was being pointed at the Labour Party because he said it was the coalition government that had “removed the planning guidance notes”.

He added: “It is open season for developers now.

“But we shouldn’t be blaming one party we should be working together to stop green space development.

“I’ve spent 16/17 years defending greenfield sites and I would move that we reject this application.”

Councillor Jack Speight also objected to the development, he added: “People walk on this site and want the sense of freedom and the feel that they have the countryside on their door step.

“We are losing the character of Westhoughton.

“It is a tragedy and is destroying our community.”

The town council recommended refusal on the application and also agreed to write to Bolton Council calling for a public meeting to make residents aware of the plans.

The application will be decided by Bolton Council planning committee in the coming weeks.