HOSPITAL bosses are fighting a council order to pull down a massive air conditioning unit.

Bolton Hospitals Trust has lodged an appeal following rejection of a retrospective planning application for the unit last month.

As reported in the BEN, the ventilation unit was erected without planning consent on the roof of the education centre at the Royal Bolton Hospital last year.

Residents whose gardens back on to the hospital reacted furiously and called for the unit to be removed.

At a planning meeting Cllr Margaret Clare said: "It is an absolute monstrosity. It is just 10 yards away from garden fences and it is ugly, without planning permission and is un-screened."

A hospital spokesman said: "We were surprised when the planning application was turned down by councillors as this was against the recommendation of their own officers.

"We had also understood from the residents that they were satisfied with the proposals we made to screen the building.

"We have taken further advice following the rejection of the application and we have now lodged an appeal against the decision."

The unit has continued to operate since the planning decision.

Bolton Council is in the process of serving an enforcement notice against the hospital trust. If the hospital appeals against that, both appeals will be considered at the same time.

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