A DECISION on the future of the Hulton Park Estate has been postponed.

Councillors were due to meet on March 1 and vote on whether property giant Peel Holdings can build a championship golf course and more than 1,000 homes on the historic site.

Town hall bosses say the postponement has been agreed in order to ‘enable full consideration’ of the hundreds of responses to the controversial plans.

A council spokesman said: “Due to the large number of responses that have been received since the announcement of the meeting date, it has been agreed that the committee meeting should be re-arranged to enable full consideration of these to take place.”

The committee’s site visit to Hulton Park, which will be met with a demonstration from residents opposing the development, is due to go ahead as planned tomorrow.

Cllr David Chadwick, who chairs the HEART campaign group opposing the plans, said: “I think this is indicative of the strength of feeling against the Hulton Park development.”

HEART secretary Sandra Hesketh added: “I fully believe in the democratic process and I am glad this decision has been made.

“I could not believe that the meeting would have been happening so soon after we handed in such a large number of letters. So, I am glad that the council is considering the letters.”

No date has been set for the rescheduled committee meeting.