Residents are coming together once again to keep making their stance known against plans to build a housing development.

It comes after residents staged a protest in January to share their concerns over 26 homes due to be built the south and east of Meadowcroft on Longsight Lane in Harwood.

Residents are mainly objecting to the development to protect the green space and the potential damage it would cause to wildlife.

And now, another meeting will be held to discuss how old an ancient hedge bank is, next to a public footpath, which borders the field, and whether it is of local and historical importance which would help support their objections.

Organiser Jane Wilcock said: “We have been looking at the history of the hedge bank and looking at enclosures and whether these fields are protected within land, which is part of Harwood Common.

The Bolton News: Jane Wilcock and Janet TaylorJane Wilcock and Janet Taylor (Image: Newsquest)

“We will be talking about part of what we have discovered with the development and whether there is heritage and local interest, which we will put in our report.”

Jane also says that there are concerns over sites of biological interest (SBIs), including Harwood Vale, and Bradshaw Brook, as well as the veteran tree verified by the Woodland Trust in the Millenium Wood.

Jane added: “We are doing this for the people working from home who are walking there during their lunch time and leisure time.

“It helps people’s mental and physical health, so we don’t want to lose a piece of green between Harwood, Breightmet and Bradshaw.

“If this area is blocked by a housing estate people can’t access these SBIs.

“We want people to feel they belong and are able to enjoy this.”

Emery Planning previously said in a statement that the development would not “have an unacceptable impact on trees and ecology” and that it will allow “woodland sites that border the area to be maintained”.

The meeting will be held on Friday, June 30 from 7pm at Harwood Methodist Church on Longsight Lane.

Jane is expected to set a petition up for the hedge bank following the meeting and has urged residents to write letters with their views to friendsoflongsightpark@hotmail.co.uk.

If you have a story and something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at jasmine.jackson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @JournoJasmine.