AN eco-mansion proposed for green belt land in Bolton by football star Gary Neville has been refused permission by town hall planning chiefs.

In a 90-minute showdown the Manchester United star would rather forget, he spoke passionately about his dream to create the first zero-carbon house in the town.

But his hopes were dashed as councillors rejected the application on the grounds that the house — compared by protesters to the home of children’s characters the Tellytubbies — and a 174ft wind turbine used to power it, would have an adverse effect on the green belt land.

Addressing Bolton Council’s planning committee, Mr Neville said: “I am as passionate about this project today as I was 18 months ago.

“By 2016, all houses will have to move towards being carbon neutral and I want this to inspire other developments.

“When I first found out about this policy, the properties being developed were in the south of England. I wanted to do something in the north.”

But residents have argued that the property, on the Manchester United club captain’s estate in Harwood, is not as green as Mr Neville suggests.

They claim it would not conform to the minimum Code for Sustainable Homes Technical Guide Code Level 5 — the highest efficiency rating a single-storey property can achieve.

Mike Dutson told the committee that residents had four main points of objection.

He said: “This is not a carbon-neutral house, the wind turbine is too big, the green belt must be protected and there are access and safety issues at the entrance to the site.”

Bradshaw ward councillor Diana Brierley, who opposed the plans, said the planning officers’ report, which backed the proposal, was “one-sided”.

She said: “The report does not go into the pros and the cons of the application in the way that I am used to.

“There is a lot of contradictory evidence which makes it very difficult for members to make an informed decision.”

The application split the council chamber.

Cllr Walter Hall launched an impassioned support of residents.

He said: “This self indulgence by one or two residents is at the expense of several hundred other residents. If we pass this application then we could open the floodgates for more applications like this. This is green belt land with a capital G.”

Labour’s Cllr Guy Harkin raised objections at Cllr Hall’s use of the description “self indulgent”.

He said: “I find it shocking that a resident of this borough can be accused of self indulgence by a councillor for putting in a legitimate planning application.

“I do not like the design but it meets the requirements set out in the national policy for this type of application and I will support it.”

Cllr Nick Peel, who supported the application, said Mr Neville was the architect of much of his own misfortune.

He said: “Had he come to us with a smaller wind turbine, just to power this property, then he may not have faced the same level of objection.”

Liberal Democrat Cllr David Wilkinson said it was “unfortunate” that the application fell into a number of planning categories and that if it had come as a property for agricultural use, the council would not have been able to refuse it.

The motion to reject the proposals, which was supported by councillors from all three political parties, was greeted by loud cheers from the packed public gallery, which committee chairman Cllr Anthony Connell had to tell to keep quiet on more than one occasion.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Dutson said: “It is a hollow victory because with the money that the applicant has, he will probably take it to appeal. We thought it would be tight but we were surprised at the level of refusal.”

After the meeting, Mr Neville, who had sat ashen-faced throughout much of the proceedings, walked past the waiting media without making a comment.

A council spokesman said: “The application has been through the due planning process, resulting in the planning committee, which is made up of councillors from across Bolton, making a decision.

“The applicant has the right to appeal and can submit an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate within six months of the date of the planning committee’s decision.”

It was not clear last night whether Mr Neville would appeal.

andrew.greaves@ theboltonnews.co.uk