SEVEN town houses could be built on agricultural land if a planning application is approved.

An outline planning application has been submitted by SH Wilkinson Architects Ltd, of Westhoughton, to build seven five-bedroom town houses on land located off Back Irlam Street North, off Blackburn Road, near Astley Bridge.

The land has previously been used for the storage of agricultural vehicles, agricultural equipment and different related materials and also consists of outbuildings which are “in various states of condition and use” according to the applicant.

The developers say their intention is to create “affordable” and “multi-generational houses” within the gated site.

They believe changing the use of the site from an agricultural storing space into residential homes will create a “family-friendly environment” with a “communal green space”.

This would bring the land back under use in a positive way, according to the developers.

The houses themselves would be detached and three storeys tall in the style of a modern townhouse.

All of the homes would include five bedrooms, an attached garage and “multiple living spaces”.

The developers say this will tackle an “increasing requirement for multi-generational levelling within the Bolton area”, and will provide everything that needs to be offered with this type of development.

A multi-generational house involves more than two different generations of one family living under the same roof.

This could include grandparents living on the ground floor of a property, while their children and grandchildren live separately on different floors, sharing only a front door into the property and perhaps other utilities such as a washing machine.

Reasons why this may have become popular over recent years, with more developments such as these, include families providing support to older relatives themselves.

Grandparents being able to help with childcare as well as rising housing costs for the young may have also driven this increase as highlighted by statistics.

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) the number of people living in multi-generational housing has increased over the last two decades.

The ONS estimates that the number of households with three generations living together had risen from 325,000 in 2001 to 419,000 in 2013.

This development aims to provide more of these types of homes, with a planning statement saying: “The proposals have been designed to not over develop the land but create adequate accommodation for an up and coming requirement for today's family’s.

“Compared to larger housing schemes this proposal has an emphasis on family friendly spaces, providing a gated cul-de-sac environment with generous garden space to the front and rear.

“Properties have been strategically positioned to maximise privacy but spaced to provide an open development.”

As well as building the seven new homes the plans involve developing the house that is on the entrance to the site at the end of Eckersley Road.

Each house will have three car-parking spaces. A decision is expected to be made on the plans by the end of next month.