PLANNING chiefs and councillors are to visit a site in Leigh earmarked for a children's home to cater for sexually abused youngsters.

They will tour the controversial site in Hilda Street before granting or refusing plans to build a 12-bedroomed residential development there.

Furious residents have voiced their anger at the long-running proposals and have held a number of public meetings.

They fear the planned development would lead to increased levels of crime, loitering gangs of youths, noise, decreases in property values and traffic problems.

A neighbour said: "We greatly fear that in this day and age, the intended home would be an institution for young people with severe behavioural problems."

And another said: "I would not feel safe letting my child out not knowing what kind of children are in this home."

At a planning committee meeting on Tuesday, proposals were heard by councillors who deferred their decision to conduct a site visit although planners had recommended that the development should be approved -- subject to conditions.

It is hoped to build a two-storey building with access roads, car parking spaces, 12 en-suite bedrooms, two classrooms, a workshop and kitchen, dining and office facilities.

The site is currently vacant land, behind homes on Hilda Street, June Avenue and Angus Avenue.

Plans were approved in 1997 to erect 11 house on the site. But applicants, Bolton-based Individual Care Alternatives, have since changed the plans to cater for a children's home.

The group says it has searched for an alternative site but failed to find one. And Leigh Central councillor Brian Thomas said this week that plans to conduct a "land swap" deal with the applicants had failed.

He said: "I have been told it is not council policy."