A FIFTH of the money the council made from selling a field for housing in Horwich will go towards plans to regenerate the town – but calls for the total sum of half a million to be "given back" to the community have narrowly failed.

After months of protest over the sale of the council-owned land, known as Pickup's Field, to a housing association, the deputy leader proposed allocating £100,000 from the sale to "alleviate concerns" expressed by local people.

But some councillors argued that all the capital receipts from the sale should be given to the Horwich town centre regeneration steering group.

The matter went to a vote at Wednesday's council meeting after the decision was called in for further scrutiny at a private meeting in which the sale was authorised.

Councillors were split equally on the night and the casting vote went to Mayor who did not support calls to give all of the money to Horwich.

Labour councillor Richard Silvester, who put forward the motion to council, said he wanted to try to get something positive out of the "wrong decision" to sell Pickup's Field.

He said: "A great injustice was brought upon Horwich with the decision to sell Pickup's Field which was bought by Horwich Urban District Council for the people of Horwich for recreational use. It is important open space bought at the time with Horwich residents' money.

"It was Horwich residents' money which bought the land originally so all of the monies from its sale should come back to Horwich. Such monies should be used to replace the public open space which will be lost with an alternative open space in Horwich or to improve existing open green space in Horwich."

But Horwich and Blackrod First Independents leader Marie Brady blamed Labour for putting the sale in motion when in control.

She said: "The half a million pounds will not replace the public open space – there's none left to buy in Horwich. But it would improve what little remains since you sold it.

Lib Dem leader Roger Hayes put forward an amendment to Cllr Silvester's motion which was voted down.

He raised concerns about a new policy being developed in which payments are made to areas in return for accepting development.

Deputy leader Martyn Cox said that it would be a mistake to turn one-off financial decisions into council policy.

Bolton At Home, which bought the land, was refused planning permission to build 48 houses at the site off Singleton Avenue, but the housing association has appealed this decision.