COUNCILLORS are putting off a decision about a controversial farmhouse plan in a foot and mouth exclusion zone -- because they cannot visit the site.

Slack Hall Farm, off Burnt Edge Lane, Horwich, falls within the northern England "infected area" declared by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), which cuts across the north of Bolton borough.

Councillors have been warned that if they take more than eight weeks to rule on the proposal, which would double the size of the house, applicants Peter and Jan Lock are entitled to appeal.

But they insisted they would not be able to make a correct decision until they could make a proper site visit.

Cllr Donald Carr made an impassioned plea for the application to be rejected outright.

He said: "We have got to think of future generations. This is a beautiful part of Bolton and it should be preserved. The environment has already been raped too much."

Cllr John Hanscomb pleaded with fellow councillors not to approve the plan to demolish part of the building and create a new garage and stable block.

"I know this area like the back of my hand and I beg this committee to see this site before they make a decision," he said.

He launched into a blistering attack on council planners, whom he claimed were failing in their duties.

"They will agree anything as far as I can see because they don't seem to have any understanding of preserving character." Cllr Hanscomb said.

"If people want to buy Slack Hall Farm then they have got to accept the charm of the building. It does need sorting out, but you can't just say: 'Let's knock it down and build something different.'"

Cllr John Walsh said: "We still feel the committee needs to look at it and, with the foot and mouth crisis as it is, I don't think it would be appropriate to go on a site visit."

And Cllr Tom Anderton added: "Until we see it, and until it's possible to go onto the land and see it, we have to defer." Cllrs Walsh and Hanscomb: Reservations over plan which would double size of farmhouse