A HOUSING development in Leigh has been given council approval despite its footprint overlapping onto the green belt.

The plan for land adjacent to Hulme Road includes six houses with an access road next to property 112.

Officers said seven per cent of the development site is over the green belt boundary, which amounted to "a minimal degree of encroachment".

The application had attracted more than a dozen objections from nearby residents who had been supported by ward councillors Myra Whiteside, Lord Peter Smith and Susan Greensmith.

In addition to the green belt issue, they had raised concerns the development could restrict access to the nearby Bickershaw Nature Reserve.

Mr Barry Campbell, speaking against the application, told the committee: “The proposed dwellings – two sets of three two-and-a-half storey houses – are not in keeping with the rest of Hulme Road.”

He also sought assurances on behalf of residents that bollards currently in place on Hulme Road preventing a rat-run between Wigan Road and Firs Lane would not be removed.

Officers said there were no plans to make any changes to the bollards.

Mr Chris Smith, who addressed the committee in favour of the application, said it would not compromise pedestrian access to the nature reserve or Fir Tree Flash.

He added part of the green belt encroachment was to create a turning head for bin lorries, while another section is part of an upgraded footpath to the Flash.

There would not be any "built development" on the green belt, officers said.

Cllr John Harding said he was "quite surprised" a one-metre strip at the end of three of the proposed gardens went onto the green belt and questioned whether it was required.

Officers said there had been a "balancing exercise" between preserving green belt and allowing the houses to have "adequate garden sizes".

Cllr Janice Sharratt said: “We could do with, not necessarily more small applications, but more applications for houses of this type. Because you can get more affordable housing on less space and it would probably be the answer to us building our quota each year.

“I think this is actually quite a nice little set up.”

A motion to approve the plan was voted through unanimously.