PLANS to build more than 25 apartments on the site of a former primary school have been thrown out after Westhoughton town councillors raised objections.

Melrose Developments had submitted an application to Westhoughton Town Council for full planning permission for 27 apartments on the site of St John's CE Primary School in Chorley Road.

Councillors threw out the plans -- even though planning officers reported the plans did comply with planning policy. Concerns were raised about traffic, parking, the suitability of such a development for a village and privacy.

Cllr David Wilkinson said the reality would be that the new apartments would create parking problems, even though the development would have car parking space to satisfy Government parking policy.

He said: "These are two bedroomed apartments. If you have a couple living in the accommodation, then they are likely to have a car each. I can take you round past houses in Westhoughton where there are three or four cars to a house."

Traffic safety concerns, also prompted Cllr Wilkinson to object to the plans. He said there would be large numbers of vehicles wanting to get in and out of the apartments at peak times -- in an area which is already heavily congested. A member of the public who lives nearby to the proposed development said at the meeting that having the three storey apartment building so close to her house would be "oppressive" and said there would be nowhere for children to play.

The council has also received two objections to the development which expressed a number of concerns, including the siting of bins and loss of privacy.

St John's School -- which had been open for 150 years -- closed in the summer of 2002 following a shake-up of Bolton primary schools.

The school merged with Fourgates Primary School to form a new school The Gates, on Manchester Road.

Bolton Council will now make a final decision on the flats plan.