HORWICH Town Council is pushing for additional protection for the site of the town’s golf club.

At a Finance and General Purposes Committee meeting earlier this week, the council unanimously agreed to nominate the Horwich Golf Club site as an Asset of Community Value (ACV).

If granted, this status would offer additional protection to the site against loss or development, giving residents more chance to keep the space as it is.

Cllr Steven Chadwick submitted the request to the council, and hopes a decision will be made before Peel submit their third set of plans.

He said: “My belief is that as a councillor, and particularly a town councillor, it’s our job to reflect the views of the local community.

“The people of Horwich have been quite clear that they do not want this site to be developed.

“There are three main benefits to the ACV. It would be a material planning consideration which is obviously a short term solution, it gives the community right to bid if it comes up for sale, and the borough council could have the ability to compulsory purchase the site.

“At the moment, the material planning consideration is the most important aspect – it isn’t important who owns the site, what’s important is that it’s not developed.

“How many more green spaces and sporting facilities are going to go? We’ve got to do everything we can to protect what we’ve got left.”

Sites can only be put forward for ACV status if they are of interest socially, or increase the wellbeing of the community.

Once the nomination is made, Bolton Council will have up to eight weeks to decide whether to grant that status, which will involve determining whether the site is eligible.