COUNCILLORS have unanimously rejected plans to build 300 houses in Westhoughton.

The planning committee was applauded by about 100 local residents who turned out to protest against the proposals to build on protected land at Lee Hall — between Platt Lane and Manchester Road.

Persimmon Homes, the developer behind the plans, were not in attendance at the meeting to see the scheme voted down by all voting members of the committee.

As well as the 300 houses, the developers had wanted to create an area of public open space and a children’s play area.

But they have been met with stubborn resistance from local residents, including a petition with more than 1,600 signatures, originally launched by former ward councillor Christopher Peacock.

The chief concerns surround the impact on an already struggling highways network and potential damage to the wildlife in the area.

Speaking out against the plan at the committee meeting, ward councillor Zoe Kirk-Robinson said: “We already know that Westhoughton's roads cannot cope with this development and the hundreds more cars that 300 homes will bring to our roads will simply overwhelm the local infrastructure.

"Westhoughton's schools cannot cope with 300 houses worth of new pupils, nor can its doctors or dentists.

"This development will bring in no new jobs and no new facilities to the town — all it will bring us is chaos."

She was backed up by fellow ward councillors Anne Graham and Martin Cox, with the latter pointing out that it was “interesting” that Persimmon had failed to show up for the meeting.

Once the debate opened, it soon became clear that the development would not be going ahead.

Committee member Bob Allen said: “I think to even consider another access of egress onto the already very busy Chequerbent Roundabout is totally irresponsible.

“The fact that there have been so many objections to this application and yet Persimmon are not here makes you think that even the developers think this is an optimistic application.”

Other councillors pointed out that not long ago, the committee made the difficult decision to allow 106 houses to be built in Westhoughton, on the Roscoe’s Farm site.

Cllr Cox said: “That was a very difficult decision for the committee, but I don’t think this one is difficult — the community, councillors and officers are all against it.”

The decision was met with loud applause from the public gallery.