COUNCILLORS have spoken of their disbelief that another 129 houses could be built on green space in Westhoughton.

The application has been submitted to Bolton Council by Bellway Homes for the development on land off Collingwood Way and Old Lane. It follows another submitted by Persimmon for 1,700 homes on another greenfield site near to Chequerbent in Westhoughton.

It was revealed in August that 7,000 new homes could be built in the Bolton borough over the next two decades, as part of a Greater Manchester-wide ‘call for sites’, aimed at addressing the region’s growing housing needs.

Councillor David Chadwick said greenfield sites should not be built on. He said: "There are enough brownfield sites in the borough to provide significant building space for the next four to five years.

"We have 4,500 vacant properties in the borough. The properties being built in Westhoughton tend to also be affluent three to four bedroom properties. I find it a bit rich that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are trying to point the finger at the council for this.

"The coalition government got rid of the planning guidance notes and that made it easier for developers to build on greenfield spaces. We would have had a better chance of refusing the application if they had not changed the guidelines. I am not in favour of the application and hope it is refused."

Independent Councillor Jack Speight said he "feels sorry for residents". He added: "All of these developments are against public opinion, it is something that people do not want.

"It is a crying shame and it just makes you think 'when will it stop?' I feel sorry for residents. These developments are forced upon them. It is overdevelopment of a small town and we are losing our identity."

In its application, Bellway Homes said the housing scheme will provide "a suitable and sustainable residential development that exhibits best practice and respects its context and surroundings". The company said the development "will be accessible for all" and give residents and visitors a choice about how they travel.

However, Town Councillor David Wilkinson said it would add more traffic to the already congested Westhoughton roads.

He said: "There have been applications in the past on this land and they were rejected on highway concerns. I can't see anything that has substantially changed to allow this application to be approved.

"The highways have become worse and this development will add another 200-250 houses to the roads.

Residents and councillors are still fighting a housing application submitted for 300 homes on land to the north of Platt Lane known as Lee Hall and in August lost a fight against a controversial scheme of 106 new homes on land on the former Roscoe’s Farm site in Bolton Road.

There was also an application approved by Bolton Council for 28 houses on land off Church Street.

Councillor Ryan Battersby said Westhoughton has "had its fair share of housing".

He said: "Bowlands Hey is a lovely part of Westhoughton. I know that they need to build somewhere but haven't we had our fair share of housing?I hope that the application is rejected."

The application will be heard by Bolton Council in the coming weeks.