THE future of Whitefield's former Town Hall is again uncertain after development plans were put on hold.

Proposals to extend the vacant Pinfold Lane building and create a residential care home have been deferred at the applicant's request after planning chiefs recommended councillors refuse the proposals.

For years the building was used by Bury Contract Services as its headquarters, but permission was granted in 1997 to create a 24-bed nursing home and day care centre.

This has not been implemented and planning chiefs say the latest scheme to demolish an annexe and erect two extensions and a conservatory to accommodate 45 people is an "overdevelopment".

They point to insufficient parking adding there would be no access for service vehicles or a turning point for ambulances.

Restrictive covenants which grant public access to the land are also jeopardised by proposals to ring the site with a two-metre high fence. Meanwhile, neighbours hit out at the scheme claiming it would exacerbate traffic problems in an area already congested by parents dropping off children at nearby Philips High School.

Mr Ivan Firman, senior planning officer, said: "They are basically trying to put too much into the development. They are planning to have 45 beds with only 11 parking spaces.

"We also feel that elderly people are entitled to a reasonable amount of space in which to wander around the grounds and the plans only supply one-third of the amount of space needed."

Applicants, Lemon Park Construction Group, acting on behalf of Oak Lodge Rest Home, Bury New Road, declined to comment. However, the company indicated to planning officers that it would be willing to discuss the proposals and a spokesman confirmed the plans would be submitted at the next planning meeting.

Mr Firman added: "Unless they are doing something fairly significant in terms of changing the plans then there is nothing to discuss. They are trying to put a quart into a pint and it just doesn't fit."

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