Plans have been submitted to demolish an existing farm house in order to build five new ‘eco-friendly’ homes.

Submitted by JLP Design (UK) Ltd, the plans would involve demolishing an existing farmhouse and outbuildings at Ashcroft Farm, on Chorley Road, Westhoughton.

This would be replaced by five bungalows all representing “truly sustainable housing” according to developers.

A similar planning application submitted in August 2020, to demolish the buildings and build six houses was rejected by the council.

A planning statement says: “This will entail the demolition of the existing former farmhouse, which is in poor structural condition and several outbuildings and erection of five new high quality bungalows.

“The proposal seeks to achieve a truly sustainable housing development with good eco-credentials and meeting the up-to-date building regulations specifications and codes.”

The application submitted in 2020 was rejected as it “represents inappropriate development within the green belt and the applicant has provided no very special circumstances to outweigh the harm that would be caused to the green belt.”

But the applicant does not believe the green belt is affected by the development. A decision is expected to be made on the bid by mid-July.