CAMPAIGNERS have won the latest round of the Barracks Lodge saga.

Local residents and environmentalists cheered as members of Bury Council's planning control sub-committee rejected a fresh application by Stately Homes Ltd to develop the lodge and land at the rear of Newington Drive, Bury.

The scheme, centred on the creation of eleven new houses, is on a site which is now protected by tree preservation orders and is a site of biological importance due to a rich variety of wildlife including the internationally protected great-crested newt.

The committee voted unanimously in support of the planning recommendation to refuse the proposal. Leading campaigner and local resident, Mick Wellock said: "This is another great victory for the residents and the wildlife that uses the lodge.

"Hopefully, this will be the end of Stately's interest in the site, although I wouldn't bet against them trying again."

In the past the developers have been accused of carrying out "environmental vandalism" at the lodge by the removal of trees and shrubbery and the reduction of the water level.

However, the company said the work was all part of essential maintenance.

The plan was rejected on the grounds that the development would lead to the destruction of an identified grade-A site of biological importance. It would also mean the loss of a greenfield site which would make insufficient use of the land and the access would result in the loss of a tree protected by a tree preservation order.