A HERITAGE group has said promised ‘greenway’ links between new estates are not included in plans for 393 homes on the site of the former Horwich Loco Works.

Morris Homes have resubmitted plans to Bolton Council for the huge estate which has seen a public consultation end earlier this month.

The Morris application is part of the Rivington Chase development on the site of the former Horwich Loco Works.

The £200million vision intends to provide 1,700 homes on the former industrial land.

In August, planning permission was granted for a link road, which will link Horwich town centre and Chorley New Road to Middlebrook retail park, Horwich railway station and the M61, via Rivington Chase.

The road was said to be crucial for improving access to the site and relieving pressure on other congested roads in the area.

Horwich Heritage, who are an interested party in the development say they have finalised their objections to the revised plans.

Stuart Whittle, from Horwich Heritage, expanded on the group’s concerns.

He said: “The plans as it stands fails to recognise the need for a ‘greenway’ to separate the Bellway and Morris Homes housing schemes.

“This is a requirement of the Rivington Chase master plan and it is difficult to understand why this application does not conform to it.

“In our objection to application we indicated on our sketch proposal that a link between the two estates was unnecessary and would lead to the merging of the two sites into one amorphous estate.

“Following the principles of the master plan, there should be a ‘greenway’ separating these two sites which will form part of the open space network.”

Mr Whittle added that his group had concerns about the ‘spine road’ running through the estate.

He said: “This latest application further demonstrates the problem of turning a major spine road serving the whole development, with fully segregated cycleways and footpaths,  into an estate road with frontage access for some 50 houses and a fragmentation of the cycle and footways.

“I think Bolton planning department need to explain why these requirements are not being rigorously enforced.”

Horwich Heritage have attached to their objections a sketch which shows how they believe the scheme should be reconfigured.

The plans are set to be deliberated on by councillors at future date to be decided.