A DEVELOPER has been urged to respect the wishes of local people as it revises plans for 174 homes which were refused by a government inspector in May.

Plans for the second phase of the Bowlands Hey development have been resubmitted after an failed appeal by the developer.

Labour leader Linda Thomas, who lives in Westhoughton, said Bellway Homes should respect the inspector's conclusion. She said: "The comments made by the inspector when rejecting the application on the Bowlands Hey application are pretty conclusive, especially when made alongside the total objections from residents and local councillors and the planning committee."

The developer says that measures have been taken to resolve the inspector's concerns following a public inquiry in January.

But Conservative councillor Christine Wild does not agree.

She said: "I think the inspector made it quite clear about the harm this development would create to the area and I don’t see how a revised planning application will make a difference to the adverse impact as outlined by the inspector."