Councillors are campaigning to change Horwich Golf Course to Green Belt land status ahead of a public inquiry on a 300-home development on the site.

All three ward councillors in Horwich North East have met with leader Cllr Linda Thomas to discuss the proposing the change in Bolton's submission to the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

While the proposal would not be a deciding factor in the public inquiry, it is hoped that the move will have some influence on the Planning Inspectorate.

Cllr Richard Silvester said: “The council is putting its cards clearly on the table by saying we are against this land being developed, we are fighting the appeal and this is why we think it should be protected and by submitting the proposal as part of the Greater Manchester plan, this will add more weight in order for Peel’s proposals to be thrown out.”

Bolton Council is due to defend an appeal by land giant Peel Investments after it unanimously refused the application to build on the golf course and an adjacent field.

The land is currently classified as Protected Open Space which has a lower level of protection from development.

Cllr Kevin McKeon told The Bolton News that reclassifying the site to Green Belt land will give it added protection from future developments if the appeal fails.

He said: “As councillors we thought long and hard as to ways how the land could be protected. We are firmly behind our residents, supporting them in the fight against development of the golf course.”

The Greater Manchester Spatial Framework is a joint plan produced by all 10 boroughs to identify where new homes should be built in the city-region.

A second draft of the plan is due to be published in October which will be followed by a 12-week public consultation.

The councillors also met with local residents groups in the ward who are supporting the proposal and will ask members of the public to support the proposal when the consultation stage.

Stocks Residents Association campaigned against the application and have been fundraising to commission a specialist planning barrister to challenge Peel in the hope that the original decision will be upheld.

Cllr Joyce Kellett said: “I voted against Peel’s plans to build on Horwich Golf Course as a member of the planning committee and I am totally against this beautiful area of Horwich being bulldozed over.”