Concern that Lee Hall homes will go ahead without Ryder Cup

Westhoughton Town councillors 'resolved to refuse' the plan to build 1450 homes around Lee Hall at a recent meeting.

The town council can only provide a recommendation, but a decision on the plans will be made by Bolton Council's planning committee.

The minutes of the meeting stated: "The planning application site has changed and no longer includes the development of a Ryder Cup golf course and therefore should be referred back to the Secretary of State as it is no longer a hybrid application."

Dubbed the Lee Hall scheme, this was to run alongside but separately to the Hulton Park scheme, which aims to build an 18-hole luxury golf course at Over Hulton.

Cllr David Wilkinson told The Bolton News: "When you have a company that spends a lot of money going through these plans before all of a sudden changing them, the councillors say 'what are you doing?'"

"These plans went through two planning inspectorate enquiries, and now they've changed.

The hopes were that Peel would be able to secure the 2035 Ryder Cup

"We were told that a planning application for the golf course would be submitted in January, but where is it?"

The planning inspectors and the Secretary of State approved the original applications with the provision that before any work started the Ryder Cup competition bid had to be obtained.

But says Cllr Wilkinson there have been 'no consultations, no meetings' with Westhoughton councillors on the golf course planning application.

So far, the plans for the houses are the only plans that have been submitted.

Westhoughton Council listed other reasons for their refusal of the plans.

The minutes stated: "Currently there are not sufficient facilities to service Westhoughton.

"For example high school children living in Westhoughton cannot get a place at Westhoughton High School and attend High Schools outside the Westhoughton area.

"A Section 106 Agreement needs to be agreed to cover the development of facilities outlined in the application such as health facilities and schools.

"The sewage systems around Westhoughton and at the Urmston Water Treatment Works are also reaching maximum capacity and, if overburdened, threaten release into Hall Lee Brook."

Concerned Westhoughton residents have protested the housing plans, walking across land billed for development and pointing out the wildlife that have made the area their home.

Residents gathered to discuss concerns over traffic, flooding and the scale of the proposed development. (Image: NQ)

It was hoped that Peel would be able to secure the 2035 Ryder Cup, the bidding process for which is still underway.

A Peel spokesperson said: "The projects were separated to enable Peel Land to bring forward more quickly much-needed new homes, employment floorspace, and local infrastructure, including the Park Avenue link road on an improved route and design; and Peel Retail and Leisure to lead the Ryder Cup bid and then bring forward a world-class golf resort.

"The Ryder Cup award process was delayed. The Hulton Park permission in 2022 included parts of Lee Hall, and this prevented much-needed homes, link road and other infrastructure from being delivered.

"They are being brought forward separately in a way which will enable the delivery and benefits of each to be unlocked as quickly as possible, using the skills and experience of the specialist teams in Peel Land and Peel Retail and Leisure.

"The planning application for Lee Hall is very clear about the need for the Lee Hall development.

"This includes the new homes, of which there is a very significant shortfall in Bolton over many years.

"Lee Hall will contribute to addressing this shortfall, with a masterplan that is embedded with a wide range of infrastructure – a school, health facilities, parks, and more – as well as an improved proposal for the link road, and on land that is not Green Belt.

"We are following the correct process in terms of the Lee Hall planning application."