THE long-running saga surrounding the future of the Bolton Open Golf Course site will be decided today.

Bolton Council’s planning committee will run the rule over plans to build seven houses on green belt land at the Harwood site — where several previous schemes have been rejected.

The owner of the site, Open Golf and Leisure Ltd, wants to demolish the dilapidated former club house and covered driving range and build the homes in their place on the course land off Longsight Lane.

Last year, the council refused the latest in a string of applications for housing on the golf club site, rejecting proposals for eight houses.

The developer appealed to the planning inspector but the challenge was dismissed.

Housing proposals were also rejected by Bolton Council in 2010 and 2011.

The latest planning application claims to have taken into account comments made by the inspector and has made appropriate changes.

A spokesman said: “The development has been reduced by one dwelling and the proposed development has been made more compact.

“The siting of houses has been moved away from both Longsight Lane and the existing clubhouse — allowing the new amenity space to be increased from 36 per cent to 48 per cent — a significant reduction in the impact on the green belt’s openness.”

Despite these alterations, Cllr Walter Hall, who represents the Harwood area said he remains against plans for housing on the land.

He said: “I am against it — this is green belt land and I would like it to stay green.

“I think the fear among local residents is that if seven houses get built then that could see more housing created in the future.”

The developer argues that the housing scheme offers a better solution than what

A spokesman added: “This is a complete redevelopment of a redundant, previously developed site.”

This is not a view shared by the council’s planning officers, who have recommended that the committee rejects the proposals at today’s meeting.

The report states: “The harm on the green belt by the proposed development by reason of its inappropriateness is still not clearly outweighed by other considerations.”