PARTIALLY built million pound houses which have been ordered to be demolished 'harm the openness of green belt land', a planning inquiry has heard.

The evidence was heard during a four-day inquiry considering appeals against Bolton Council’s decision to enforce demolition of the five incomplete houses

and a garage at Grundy Fold farm, off Chorley Old Road.

Planning permission was granted for the conversion of the former farmhouse and four new homes around a central courtyard in 2014.

Bolton Council ordered the building to be knocked down in 2018 after multiple breaches of planning regulations were found.

They included the houses being built in the wrong locations with some having a 'footprint' around a third larger than approved.

The inquiry is considering two appeals from the house owners, one against the demolition enforcement and another to try and overturn a decision on a later amended planning application.

During yesterday's proceedings, witness Rawdon Gascoigne, a planning expert from Emery Planning gave evidence to the inquiry for the appellants.

He was involved with discussions with planning officers from Bolton Council.

He said in 2017 the householders took over matters from the developer Sparkle, to try and resolve planning matters with the council without the need for enforcement.

He said relations between some of the plot holders had become 'fractious' after the planning issues were revealed.

He said the majority of the homeowners were 'unfamiliar' with planning procedures.

He added: "There was an anticipation that they could get matters resolved with the council."

Mr Gascgoine was asked to compare effect on openness of the green belt of the 2014 scheme given approval, the houses as they stand at present and the amended planning application, which are the two subjects of appeal.

He said that in his opinion both of the appeals would not have a significantly worse effect on the openness of the greenbelt than the original plan.

He was asked about the effects of demolishing the part built houses and whether the enforcement notice to demolish the homes was proportionate.

He said: "It's effectively starting the scheme again.

"We are talking about rebuilding the scheme from scratch."

Ian Ponter, the lawyer for Bolton Council challenged Mr Gascgoine on his case that if the either of the appeals was successful it would not have a significant impact on the green belt.

He said council's position is that the existing part built houses and a later amended planning application which was rejected would see such harm.

He said that both schemes varied greatly from the original 'cluster' of homes around a courtyard which were given permission in 2014.

Mr Ponter said that a subsequent planning application for the houses was submitted to Bolton Council.

In that application the developers attempted to change the layout of the homes as they said there was a geological fault line running through the original site.

Mr Ponter said that this was 'concocted' to alter the layout.

The appellants current 'fallback' if the appeals are unsuccessful is to build out the original 2014 approved scheme.

Mr Ponter said any 'geological fault' at that original location is not part of the householders' case for their appeal.