New Wigan homes plans could get the go-ahead

This is despite neighbours raising concerns about road safety and the potential for their properties to be overlooked by the new builds.

The location had outline permission granted in 2017 and is included in the borough’s five year supply of housing land, a report tabled for next week’s planning meeting says.

Detailed designs, submitted last year, have been the subject of ‘extensive negotiation’ and ‘substantial changes have been made to improve the development’s relationship to existing properties’, according to town hall officers.

The bid includes the conversion of an existing outbuilding and the construction of three separate detached homes, each with rear gardens and driveways for two vehicles.

Objections from seven neighbouring properties have been received by the town hall, citing concerns about the access point on Atherton Road and its proximity to a junction and bus stop.

The potential for the new homes to ‘have an overbearing impact due to their scale and position’ has also been raised, a report reveals, in addition to fears Hindley is being overdeveloped.

However, the borough’s planning committee will be told that highways officers have not raised objections about the access because it will be widened.

In terms of the appearance of the new homes, the report reads: “The properties are of an attractive appearance and complement each other in terms of their individual design.”

And because of the changes during negotiations with officers – including a reduction in properties from five to four and smaller garages – the designs ‘will respect the amenity of existing neighbouring properties’, the report adds.

The site is historically known as Vicarage Farm although it is not used for agricultural purposes and is described as a ‘large grassed area’.

The application will be determined by the council’s planning committee.

It will meet for the first time in the new municipal year on Tuesday, June 11.