NEIGHBOURS of a property accused of “garden grabbing” are concerned for their privacy, after plans to build four houses in the space of one were made public.

Turner Street in Westhoughton is the site of a neighbourhood dispute, after an application was made to demolish one house in the street and build four in its place.

A resident of Rectory Gardens, the street behind Turner Street, is speaking out about the impact the development could have on her bungalow.

Pat Ashford, 70, said: "We were absolutely horrified when we found out they are going to build four houses.

"Plot three in the plans is six feet from our garden. It will take away all the privacy, it will overshadow us and the garden."

Mrs Ashford moved into the bungalow with her husband Alan, 69, just 18 months ago.

She added: "One of the reasons we chose that bungalow was that it is private and was not overlooked.

"They have not considered the residents of the bungalows. There are older people who sit out and use the gardens. They have not taken our interests into account at all.

"I want them to change the plan."

Speaking at a recent Westhoughton town council meeting, town coucillors dubbed the plans as an example of "garden grabbing".

Wingates town councillor Michelle O’Riordan said: “My concern is that other people would see their big gardens and think, “I’ve got a big garden and can put a couple of houses at the end of my garden”.

Councillor Janette Nicholson, who lives further down Turner Street, said: “It will impact on Turner Street in Daisy Hill. We would like to know where the access is going to be.

“My neighbours are all elderly and I think trucks trundling up and down will have an adverse effect on their health and wellbeing.”

Cllr Deidre McGeown said: “There’s too many houses in such a small area with not enough access.”

The application faced a unanimous recommendation for refusal by the town council.