PLANS to build housing for people with mental health problems have angered residents of Walmersley.

The Mill Road housing scheme application was passed by Bury's planning committee on Tuesday, but neighbours claimed they felt it was a "done deal".

Now residents have vowed to lodge their concerns and objections with the chiefs at Bury Council's planning department once more.

The scheme, which will house 11 Bury residents with moderate but continuing mental health problems, is a joint project between the housing department, mental health charity Making Space and West Pennine Housing Association.

Walmersley residents felt they had not been given a chance to object to the application registered with the council on July 14. Mrs Marilyn Green, of Walmersley Road, said she received a letter about the plans on July 26, giving her only 16 days to object, rather than the usual 21.

She added: "In the area, the houses are more than 200 years old. They are Edwardian cottages, and the design of the new building will not be in keeping with the look of the area. This is very much a detached property with a modern sloping roof and glass facias. We feel it will look like an institution."

At the planning committee meeting on Tuesday, Coun Yvonne Wright said: "I found some of the points raised in the objections very offensive, especially reference to these people being "unsuitables" and "problem people".

"These are people with low level mental illnesses. They could have had severe depression, but have been abandoned by the system sadly. It is a very unfortunate situation."

Residents will be supervised from Monday to Friday for six hours a day, but they will have access, if needed, to the full range of mental health services in Bury.

Mrs Green added: "There are no shops nearby so that the people living there can go out and do their shopping. It is a very quiet area and we feel there would be nothing for them to do. At the meeting we were made to feel so stupid. We felt we had no right of reply after having our two minutes to speak and it seemed as though the decision had already been made."