OUTRAGE over new housing developments continues for one Bolton town.

Major housing plans, including the likes of Bowlands Hey and Roscoe’s Farm, have caused years of upset for Westhoughton residents trying to protect green space in the area.

An array of new plans presented at Monday’s town council meeting proved no different.

One application was branded “garden grabbing” by councillors, as it proposed knocking down one home, but building four more in its place.

Town councillors for Daisy Hill voiced their concerns about the impact the building of four houses in Turner Street would have on the residents.

Councillor Janette Nicholson, who lives further down Turner Street, said: “It will impact on Turner Street in Daisy Hill. We would like to know where the access is going to be.

“My neighbours are all elderly and I think trucks trundling up and down will have an adverse effect on their health and wellbeing.”

Cllr Deidre McGeown said: “There’s too many houses in such a small area with not enough access.”

Councillors also agreed that it could encourage more people with big back gardens to do the same — a method known as “garden grabbing” in planning circles.

Cllr Michelle O’Riordan says: “My concern is that other people would see their big gardens and think, “I’ve got a big garden and can put a couple of houses at the end of my garden”.

The application faced a unanimous recommendation for refusal by the council.

Another application that faced a lot of criticism from councillors was that of Collingwood Way.

Plans to build around 40 houses next to the controversial Bowlands Hey development were recently revealed and met with controversy .

Seddon Homes wants to build the two to four-bedroom houses behind existing properties in Collingwood Way. Representatives made the feelings of local residents clear, highlighting the presence of local wildlife in the area and the disturbance that would be created.

Cllr McGeown said: “It’s been described as just scrubland [in the application], it is more than that to residents.

“Deer have been seen there."

The councillor also said newts, foxes and nesting doves were also among the wildlife present in the area.

Westhoughton councillors have often cited a lacking infrastructure in terms of school places and space at

Cllr McGeown added: "It's going to be devastating for the residents. They are already suffering."

This application was also recommended for refusal by the town council.

The third application which drew opposition was an amendment to the development of 106 houses on the former Roscoe's Farm site.

The application to change the type of homes has sparked scepticism that the developers could be trying to squeeze in more houses.

Town mayor David Wilkinson said: "It does look like a nibbling exercise."

Cllr McGeown said: "We need to see the full application on this."

Newly-elected town councillor Martyn Cox agreed saying: "It's only fair to see due process done to fully understand what they are going to do."

This application was also unanimously refused by the town council on the grounds of insufficient information.