PLANS for a zero-carbon home in the countryside have resurfaced for a fifth time. Local Democracy Reporter JOSEPH TIMAN speaks to the man behind the proposal about the changes he has made and the support it has received from schools.

HUNDREDS of children could benefit from a forest school which would be created as part of proposed development in the countryside, the man behind the project has said.

David Norris, who has been seeking approval for his zero-carbon home at Higher Critchley Fold Barn in Egerton since 2016, has offered to hand over part of the land to local schools.

Mr Norris, who acquired the land off Longworth Road four years ago, has spent tens of thousands of pounds on the scheme so far.

The latest designs, drawn up by The Intelligent Design Centre, include an outdoor learning area – but the council decided earlier this year that it still does not meet the special circumstances required to build on protected green belt land.

The applicant, who appealed the planning committee’s decision in March, has now offered 13 schools the opportunity to use the forest school as they please for 99 years.

Each school would admit 25 new children per year during that period, according to Mr Norris.

He said: “The most important people in our society to benefit are the young children to learn about climate change and about future protection of the planet.

“All political parties in the national election are saying they want to invest in education, health, housing, renewable and carbon reducing technologies, ways to save the planet – this proposal has it all and Bolton Council can take the credit for supporting it.”

Mr Norris said that this offer means the application is “very different” to the previous one. He said that it was “unfair” to limit the use of the outdoor learning area to one school. Letters of support for the application have been sent from several schools, according to Mr Norris.

He said: “Granting permission for this scheme will secure much needed education provision and a site for wildlife for the next 100 years.”

The application was due to be discussed by the planning committee this week but the decision has been deferred to a later meeting.

This comes after Mr Norris complained that some of key information was missing from the officers’ report, including details about the benefit to schools.

However, so far, planning officers at the town hall have recommended that the committee refuses permission for the development.

Whether planners change their recommendation to councillors given the new information remains to be seen.

A council spokesman said: “Additional information has been submitted by the applicant. To enable us to include the information in the planning officer’s report, the decision was taken with the chair to defer the application to December 5’s committee.”