BOLTON’S Ryder Cup bid could be scuppered by the public inquiry into Peel’s plans — for it has been announced that it will take place after the 2026 venue may have been decided.

If bidding for the prestigious golf tournament closes before the public inquiry takes place, the entire development could be halted, including more than 1,000 homes on the Hulton Park Estate.

Controversial plans to create a golf course and build more than 1,000 homes on the estate were called in by the government in July despite Bolton Council’s prior approval.

Now it has been announced that a public inquiry will be held on October 1, 2019, after which a decision will be made by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government James Brokenshire.

Peel Land and Property said that if its bid to host the 2026 Ryder Cup fails, then the proposed 1,036 homes would not go ahead either. The condition prohibiting Peel from starting work on the homes until it secures the Ryder Cup will be set out in a legal agreement which is currently being finalised by Bolton Council.

Cllr David Chadwick, who opposed the plans, said that the application was approved on the understanding that a successful bid was essential to the plans and called for the developer to withdraw its application. He said: “They had to have everything done and dusted by January or February next year so I can’t see how the application can go ahead.”

“As far as I’m concerned, it was approved on special circumstances. If the Ryder Cup is not available in 2026 then that lapses. I think that Peel should do the honourable thing and withdraw.”

The bidding process for the next European Ryder Cup venue in 2022 opened eight years before the tournament and Rome was announced as the host in December 2015.

The 2026 Ryder Cup bidding process is yet to begin and a timeline has not been agreed.

A Ryder Cup Europe spokesman said: “We will be conducting a full debrief on the 2018 Ryder Cup over the coming weeks before any details of the 2026 Ryder Cup process are finalised.”

Cllr Chadwick, who now sits on the council’s planning committee, said that he feels positive about the news but will not celebrate until the application is completely withdrawn.

He said that the application should never have been approved in the first place and suspects that the developer may submit a new application which would have “no chance” of being approved.

The Westhoughton South councillor campaigned against the development as former chair of Hulton Estate Area Residents Together (HEART).

HEART secretary Sandra Hesketh said that the date announced for the public inquiry gives the group more time to prepare legal representations but joined Cllr Chadwick’s call for Peel to withdraw. She said: “I think they should now withdraw because they are obviously going to be out of time for the Ryder Cup.”

Deadlines for submissions to the inquiry were also announced as well as the chosen planning inspector, Matthew Birkinshaw. Peel Land and Property chose not to comment on whether the application would be withdrawn.