A CONTROVERSIAL plan to re-site Bolton Road Sports Club has won the backing of Bury Council.

It has agreed to release land off Ainsworth Road and allow developers to apply for planning permission to build a new club.

But residents living nearby are divided on whether the plans should go ahead.

While some believe it would benefit local children, others fear an intrusion from extra traffic and they complain about the loss of open land.

Councillor David Willis, leisure services chairman, said: "I think it can only improve facilities for the area. There's as much support as opposition. Some people will be losing a nice view but many more people will be gaining an important facility. The benefits outweigh the drawbacks."

The way is now clear for developers Wainhomes to seek formal planning permission for a football and cricket pitch, three tennis courts and a pavilion at the site.

It is the latest twist in the long-running saga of Bolton Road Sports Club.

It reached a compromise with landlords Bolton Road Methodist Church following a bitter land battle spanning several years. Controversy centred around church plans to sell sportsground land to a housing developer to fund construction of a new place of worship.

But the housebuilders, Wainhomes, identified the new site for the club on land behind Stapleford Close and Foulds Avenue, off Ainsworth Road, not far from its Elton home.

If planning bosses approve the latest application, two other developments are likely to go ahead.

Wainhomes has submitted an application to build 81 houses on the old sports club site, but the new club would have to be built before the Wainhomes development began, guaranteeing constant access to sports facilities for users.

Selling land to Wainhomes would provide the church with cash and space to replace its building on the same land. Outline planning permission was granted for this last May.

A meeting of residents and representatives of Bolton Road Sports Club has been called for this Tuesday at Chantlers CP School, Foulds Avenue at 7.30pm. It has been organised by Councillor John Smith.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.