PROTESTORS will be sending postcards to the government in a bid to continue the fight against the development of Hulton Park.

Campaigners from Hulton Estate Area Residents Together (Heart) will be posting hundreds of signed cards to the Secretary of State at the end of the week after urging residents to join their battle.

It follows last month's decision by Bolton Council to approve Peel's plan to turn the estate into a Ryder Cup golf course and 1,036 homes.

A statement posted on the Heart Facebook page said: "Heart would like to thank all those who supported the campaign to protect our Green Belt and our rare National Heritage asset — the unique Grade II park and garden designed by 18th century landscape architect William Eames.

"As you all now know, Bolton Council voted to approve the application by the developers, Peel, for a Ryder Cup standard golf course and over 1,000 high end houses, by just one vote."

As the decision by the planning committee goes against both local and national planning policy, it will have to be approved by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid.

Heart is pressing the Mr Javid to call the decision in and hold a public enquiry.

The statement from the group added: "We are printing postcards for everyone to sign but individual letters carry far more weight. Please write with only 'material considerations' as to why the Secretary State should call this decision in."

Letters should be written to The Rt. Hon Sajid Javid, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF.

Bolton Council's planning committee voted eight to seven to approve the application at a meeting on March 22.

The argument was that the economic benefit of the development outweighed the loss of the Grade II-listed estate.

But the development can not get underway unless Hulton Park wins its bid to host the 2026 Ryder Cup.

A statement from Peel released after the decision said: "The strategic fit for Bolton Council is immense — investment and tourism, jobs and skills, sport, recreation and health, heritage and biodiversity, new homes and transport infrastructure."