PLANS have been submitted to build eight houses on land where a number of trees were controversially felled last month.

If the plans are approved, the homes would be built on land to the north of Hutchinson Way, in Radcliffe.

A number of residents living nearby were left incensed by the work, and said they received no notice that it was taking place and that they feared it had been carried out in preparation for a planning application being submitted.

Bury Council leader and councillor for Radcliffe West Rishi Shori reported the matter to the Forestry Commission, which confirmed it was investigating the reports.

The land is owned by Heywood-based Owl Estates, which is behind the application to build two blocks of four four-bedroom terraced homes on the site.

The applicant is listed as, Zafer Mahmood, who is listed on Companies House as being secretary of Cleverclogs Nursery, which is situated next to the land where the homes will be built, and closed earlier this year.

One resident, Michael Gilmore, who lives in Hutchinson Way, said he had concerns about the scheme and the types of properties included in the plans.

He said: “Radcliffe already has hundreds of homes going up and it looks like they are trying to squeeze as many as possible in.

“There are already houses going up on the former Civic Hall site and in fairness they are affordable homes and look all right for the area.

“We have to look at who is developing, though, and what it will bring to the area.

“We should be trying to build Radcliffe up, not holding it down.

“With them owning the car park and the nursery, I wonder whether this is a litmus test for the rest of the land to see what the council does?”