PLANS to build 48 houses on former playing fields in Horwich have been given the green light after a government inspector overturned a decision by Bolton Council.

The controversial housing development on land behind Singleton Avenue, known locally as Pickup’s Fields, can go ahead following the successful appeal.

The housing association behind the scheme will offer most of the houses for “affordable” rent with shared-ownership available for eight of the properties.

Bolton At Home has offered to put £10,000 towards improving Old Station Park recreation ground, which is around 800 metres away from Singleton Avenue, to make up for the loss of green space at Pickup’s Fields.

Bolton Council agreed to sell the land for around half a million pounds last year but its planning committee refused to grant permission to build on the site.

Now a planning inspector William Walton has ruled that the housing development can go ahead following an appeal by Bolton At Home.

He said: “I have found that the proposed development would cause moderate harm to the character and appearance of the appeal site and the surrounding area and so conflict with provisions of the development plan.

“However, I have also found that the proposal is allocated for housing development and would accord with the Development Plan so far as the loss of informal open spaces is concerned.

“I conclude that the harm caused by the development to the character and appearance of the area is clearly outweighed by the fact that the site is allocated for housing development within Bolton’s Allocations Plan and that any loss of informal open space will be offset by a unilateral undertaking securing enhanced recreation facilities at Old Station Park.”

The 48 dwellings, made up of 31 three-bedroom and 17 two-bedroom houses, will be built on a new cul-de-sac and will be accessed from Singleton Avenue.

Most of the houses will be two-storey in height but two will be bungalows.

In his report, the planning inspector recognised that the site is used for informal recreation such as dog walking.

He said: “During my visit I was able to identify several pathways through the rough grassland from the more elevated section along the edge of Singleton Avenue towards the playing fields.

“I formed the impression that the site and its surroundings provided a well-used and valuable area of open space within an urban area.”

But he said Bolton Council earmarking the site for development of up to 53 dwellings in 2014 was a “very important factor” in support of the proposal.

His decision comes after a long battle to stop any houses being built on the site which included 456 letters of objection received by the local authority.

The sale of the land initially stalled as the decision was called in for further scrutiny, but deputy leader Martyn Cox chose to go ahead with the sale.

Following months of protest, Cllr Cox agreed to allocate £100,000 of the proceeds from the sale to the Horwich town centre regeneration steering group – although some councillors argued that the total sum of half a million pounds should be “given back” to the community as “compensation”.

Dominic Conway, Director of Development and Growth at Bolton at Home, said: “We welcome the decision of the planning inspectorate. These homes will help to meet local housing needs in Horwich where we know there is significant demand for affordable homes aimed at local people.”