RESIDENTS have won their battle against a multi-billion pound developer to set up a new neighbourhood forum.

Bolton Council has finally approved the creation of a neighbourhood plan and residents’ forum for Over Hulton, despite the repeated objections of Peel Holdings.

The developer had accused the fledgling forum of being set up with the principle aim of opposing its plans to build a championship golf course and more than 1,000 homes on the Hulton Park Estate.

However, council bosses have now given the green light for the group to be set up, having previously deferred their decision in order to consider further objections from Peel.

Cllr Diane Parkinson, the forum’s chairman, said: “This is fantastic news, we are absolutely delighted.

“Our core committee will now get together and find out what our next steps are in terms of how we are going to instigate the neighbourhood plan.

“We will be holding public meetings, of course, but this is still very early days.

“We are a very small group of people and we will need to publicise what we are doing more.”

She added that the forum would have to work with Peel, as a major landowner the area, while creating its neighbourhood plan.

Cllr Parkinson said: “The terms of the neighbourhood plan are that we have to work with the landowners and stakeholders.

“We will work with Peel in a professional way and we will have to come to some sort of agreement with them.”

The town hall had been expected to approve the creation of a forum last month, but were forced to delay the decision after Peel submitted a third letter of objection complaining that the council had failed to address its concerns.

Peel argued that it is ‘not appropriate’ to include Hulton Park in the defined neighbourhood area and that the group’s application represents ‘a direct response to the current planning application for Hulton Park’.

The developer had said: “The membership of the proposed neighbourhood forum appears to be overwhelmingly comprised of residents and there is little to suggest that it has an interest in progressing a neighbourhood plan that represents other stakeholders.”

In initially recommending the approval of the forum plan, the council dismissed Peel’s concerns, stating that ‘forums must be open to those who live and work in the area along with elected members of the local authority’.

The council added that the forum group’s application ‘specifically states’ it is not being formed to oppose the Hulton Park plans.