TWO major housing projects were refused by government inspectors in 2019 as the tide turned against developers who appealed decisions made by Bolton Council.

The second phase of a Westhoughton development, which would have seen an extra 174 houses built at the Bowlands Hey site, was turned down by a planning inspector in April.

An appeal by Bellway Homes against Bolton Council’s refusal to let the development go ahead was dismissed much to the surprise and delight of locals.

The council also successfully defended its decision to refuse permission for 300 homes at Horwich Golf Club. Peel L&P’s proposal had been unanimously refused by councillors before an appeal was dismissed in August.

This followed a series of decisions by government-appointed inspectors who have overruled Bolton Council and allowed developments to go ahead.

The first phase of the Bowlands Hey development, which is well underway, was allowed to go ahead after Bellway Homes successfully appealed the planning committee’s decision to refuse permission for the proposal in January 2017.

Persimmon’s Lee Hall development, near the Chequerbent roundabout, was also won on appeal, with government inspectors saying that the housing should be allowed partly because Bolton Council is not meeting its required housing supply.

Elsewhere in Westhoughton, Hollins Wingates was granted planning permission for its development at Hartley’s Farm with the government inspector noting that the council could not demonstrate a five-year supply of housing land to meet needs.

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The change in fortune comes after a revised draft of Greater Manchester’s masterplan for homes, jobs and the environment was revealed in January 2019.

Within the document, Bolton Council said that it could meet its housing need without building any homes on protected green belt land.

But it was later revealed that the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework would be revised again and published in the summer.

The local authority did suffer one defeat at a public inquiry this year as 234 houses at Hulton Lane Playing Fields were deemed acceptable by a planning inspector.

This comes after two versions of the proposed development were thrown out by Bolton Council.

A decision on a Ryder Cup golf course, 1,036 homes and a hotel at Hulton Park is expected this year following October’s public inquiry.