RIVAL MPs have put up a united front and called on the government to stop the transformation of Hulton Park.

Conservative Chris Green and Labour's Yasmin Qureshi, who represent Bolton West and Bolton South East respectively, have both sent letters to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Sajid Javid, protesting against the approval of Peel's development.

The plan for a Ryder Cup golf course and 1,036 homes was given the go-ahead last month when eight members of Bolton Council's planning committee voted in favour of it and seven voted against.

But the development can only begin if Peel wins its bid to host the Ryder Cup in 2026 and Bolton Council's decision will have to go before Mr Javid because it was made in contravention of national and local planning policy, as councillors argued the the potential economic benefit outweighed the harm to the Green Belt.

Mr Green said: "I have written to Sajid Javid about the Hulton Park Estate to request that he reconsiders the decision of Bolton Council and oppose the development.

"I think it is wholly inappropriate to build in the Green Belt when there are 1,700 homes planned for the Horwich Loco Works and 1,800 homes as part of Bolton Council's masterplan.

"We are doing our bit for house building in the local area. I am just very disappointed. It will be very difficult for the Secretary of State to oppose the decision since both Bolton Council and the planning officers approved it.

"I welcome anything that gives us an opportunity to overturn this decision. It is really disappointing that it got to this stage where both the planning officers and the committee actually approved the development.

"But it is difficult to see how the Secretary of State could go against the decision."

Ms Qureshi published the letter she has sent to Mr Javid on Twitter and urged him to call in the decision.

She said: "I do not think there is any justification for this support. The development will cause severe problems for residents in the local area.

"What we don't want to happen is that they start doing the work, then they don't get the Ryder Cup and they ask to finish the work anyway.

"There are enough brownfield sites in Bolton for Peel Holdings to turn into homes but they want to encroach on to green space.

"It's going to cause traffic jams, there are not enough schools in the area and, with more people living there, it is going to stretch local resources.

"I know businesses need large spaces but there are plenty of brownfield sites in Bolton for housing estates but these property companies do not want to build on these sites."

The development would also include a new luxury hotel built on the site of the old Hulton Hall.

The application drew widespread outrage from the community, as well as from former Westhoughton High School pupil and actor Maxine Peake, when it was revealed last year.

Campaign group Hulton Estate Area Residents Together (Heart) held a number of protests, including outside the town hall on the day the decision was made.

Mr Green and Ms Qureshi were pictured together last year at Deardens Farm as they demonstrated their opposition to the plans.

The award-winning farm, which has been operating since 1955, sits on the north-eastern edge of Hulton Park and would have to close if the development went ahead.

A statement from Peel following Bolton Council's approval said: "Greater Manchester is already home to many iconic sporting and cultural venues, in keeping with its growing global status.

"We believe that the Hulton Park development and the huge potential of the Ryder Cup would greatly enhance Manchester’s international standing in the sporting world.

"The strategic fit for Bolton Council is immense — investment and tourism; jobs and skills; sport, recreation and health; heritage and biodiversity, new homes and transport infrastructure.

"The process for selecting and awarding the next Ryder Cup venue is due to commence after this year’s event in September, which is being staged in Paris.

"The government, specifically UK Sport and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, wants to bring the Ryder Cup to England as part of its national Sporting Future strategy. Hulton Park is in a strong position.

"It has the right site and the right masterplan, the right location in a part of the country where nothing similar exists, with Peel as the delivery partner.

"It has a distinct advantage in being a new, bespoke venue, specifically designed to meet the ever-growing needs for course specification and tournament staging.

"Today’s decision means we can now progress our business planning and work closely with the European Tour prior to the selection decision later in the year."