The next phase of a controversial development is being prepared to be submitted to the council.

Leaflets regarding phase three of the Bowlands Hey development in Westhoughton are currently being posted to residents so developers Bellway Homes can get feedback before submitting a formal planning application.

The first phase, for 129 homes, was approved in 2017 after the government overruled the council’s decision to block the plans. The second phase, for a further167 houses, was approved by the Planning Inspectorate.

This third phase could potentially add 300 homes to the site, extending to the boundary with the railway line.

Westhoughton South councillor, David Wilkinson, said: “We knew there was an application coming as there’s been workers on the site for a while.

“The first two phases have caused significant traffic and other issues to nearby residents, Westhoughton has traditionally been a very nice and quiet area but now it’s just a constant roar of bulldozers.

“Westhoughton is losing so much of its distinctiveness with all of these developments here and in the surrounding area, such as the Hulton Park Estate. We’ve always had such good green space which has been so well used during the pandemic but it feels like we are losing so much now.

“The worry is, as it’s an open-ended road it is being built on, that this will just lead to a ‘phase four’ with even more housing and more loss of green space. There’s also rumours the golf club have been approached to sell their land.

“There’s so much housing being built but no facilities for the community to match. No more schools, or doctors, or dentists are being planned, just housing being built for money with no facilities. The government has said they plan to build a million houses across the country, it just feels like they’re all in Westhoughton.”

Chris Green, Bolton West MP, said: “The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework should have prevented this sort of development and given certainty to local residents. Bolton Council now needs to adopt a local plan to stop developments like this taking place on green spaces and I will be contacting Cllr David Greenhalgh, the leader of Bolton Council to impress the urgent need for action on this.”

Bellway Homes was approached for a comment.