FURIOUS neighbours believe developers "can not be allowed to get away" with building five luxury homes in the green belt without planning permission.

The construction of the homes at Grundy Fold Farm, Horwich, began last year but following complaints in October Bolton Council advised workers to cease as they were not being built in accordance with permission received three years ago.

Sparkle Developments decided to continue with the construction and submitted a retrospective planning application containing the new designs.

But this was refused by the authority's planning committee on Thursday, although councillors seemed to accept that the houses may not be completely demolished and hoped a compromise could be reached.

Elaine Edmund, who lives in Scant Row, was horrified when she heard the homes might not be torn down.

She said: "It seems to have come to a stalemate but this should not be a stalemate. The developer should be told to tear them down.

"I know about other other buildings that have been built without permission and they have been torn down. It's like there is one rule for one construction and one rule for another.

"I expect these houses to be demolished and built to the appropriate measurements that were agreed in 2014. If they aren't then I would have to question the integrity of the council.

"We don't mind houses being built as long as they are in keeping with the area but these houses are a blot on the landscape.

"We were told that parts of the green belt were going to be used for sustainable houses and now we have homes for millionaires being built.

"They have gone against planning laws. They can not be allowed to get away with it."

Permission was granted by the council in August 2014 for the five homes but the ones that are being built are a different size, design and location.

There was no work being carried out at the development yesterday morning but it is also understood that the unfinished houses, which all cost more than £1million, had been sold.

Mrs Edmund said: "How can these houses be sold if he has not got planning permission? There are five houses there and the cheapest one is £1.4million and they go up to £1.9million."

During the planning committee meeting, a spokesman for Sparkle Developments said the changes to the original scheme were not formally resubmitted because they had been authorised by former council planning chief Jon Berry.

He added: "The applicant sincerely apologises for the application being retrospective and the intention has never been to undermine this committee."

Members unanimously rejected the new scheme, but Cllr Bob Allen said he was not "naive enough" to think the green belt site would be restored to its former state.

He also said: "It beggars belief that professional developers and builders would plough on in the way they did without planning approval. It find it unbelievable. Their actions will undoubtedly have far-reaching consequences."