NO building will take place on the Hulton Park Estate if a bid for the Ryder Cup is unsuccessful Peel Holdings has said.

Cllr Darren Whitehead chaired a public meeting this evening, at Bolton Library, with a representative from Bolton Councils planning and highways and a representative from Peel Holdings.

A public consultation has been underway in regards to proposals to build a new world-class, 18-hole golf course on the Hulton Park Estate near Westhoughton.

The £100m project could potentially house a new hotel, clubhouse and conference facilities as well as 1,000 homes.

The homes would, if approved, be

on land of the 1,000 acre estate between Chequerbent, Over Hulton and Atherton which is owned by Peel.

It has been proposed that there will be 720 homes built on the west side of the estate, 192 on the site at the back of the A6 and 89 on the Atherton stretch of land.

However in the meeting a resident, of Broadway in Atherton, asked what this new golf course would have that others do not, to host an event as big as the Ryder Cup.

The resident said: "It takes a long time for golf clubs to get developed.

"2026 is in less than 10 years’ time.

"There are a lot of golf clubs that are established.

"What makes you think that this golf course can be ready in less than 10 years enough to host a Ryder Cup.

"I think Peel Holdings is in "cuckoo land".

Responding to the question Richard Knight of Peel Holdings said that the Professional Golfers Association "likes new build courses".

He said: "It is normal for the Ryder Cup to be awarded to clubs that have not yet been built."

Mr Knight added that their impending plans "meet all the criteria" to host the Ryder Cup as it is in the proximity of an international airport and in a large hotel catchment.

However Peel Holdings has stated that if they do not get the go-ahead for the Ryder Cup, which it will know in two or three years’ time, that the development, including the 900 plus possible homes, will not go ahead.

He added: "The golf project is something that we have wanted to do, to host the Ryder Cup, and has been an aim of Peel Holdings for some years.

"We are wanting planning permission to be granted before the bidding process of the Ryder Cup begins on the restriction that we will only implement the planning application if we are successful.

"The project will not be implemented if the Ryder Cup is not secured."

Alex Allen of Bolton Councils planning said that applications proposed on green belt land are only accepted in "special circumstances".

One resident asked if "an 18-hole golf course" was a "special circumstance".

Mr Allen said the "credibility and significance of the Ryder Cup and the economic benefits it would bring to the borough" could be deemed as 'significant'.

Another resident, who said he had golfing experience, claimed that other clubs are struggling.

He said: "People are not playing golf like they used to.

"Clubs are struggling at the moment.

"Why is this club going to be any more successful?"

Another resident at the meeting also asked how Peel Holdings aim to secure the Ryder Cup bid.

He said: "What is your unique selling point?"

Mr Knight said: "The offer to the European Tour is that they will get a new world class golf resort facility.

"It is paid for and delivered at no cost to them, to boost the game and it is a facility they can use for that tournament.

"No-one else is doing that in the country."

Speaking after the meeting a resident of Broadway, who did not want to be named said: "It seems to me that Bolton Council are putting their neck out there for this development on the 'Ryder Cup' element of it.

"All that traffic congestion for the rest of our lives on the back of a four day tournament.

"Sir Geoffrey Hulton would be turning in his grave."