A BRAND new sports complex could finally bring the bitter Bolton Road "land for homes" war to an end.

After years of battle, the Methodist Church and the sports club have thrashed out a deal to give both sides victory.

The plan, then strictly hush-hush, was first revealed in theBury Times two years ago. It has taken that time for campaigners and lawyers to reach a settlement.

The church has offered Bolton Road Sports club a green-field site in Ainsworth, which would allow their Methodist landlords to sell the current fields to housing developers and raise money to build a new church.

Planning applications were submitted on Wednesday for a new sports site on fields to the north-east of Ainsworth village. It would boast a pavilion with changing rooms, a football pitch, a cricket square and three tennis courts.

The church trustees are also seeking permission to construct a new church at Bolton Road, and Wainhomes Ltd have put in an application to build 92 houses on the site.

The conflict started almost a decade ago when the church, claiming lack of cash to renovate the building, wanted to sell the land.

But members of the sports club, which has been using the site for more than 70 years, were determined to fight eviction.

With the backing of nearby residents and Bury Council, they raised £12,000 to fight the matter at a public inquiry in early 1994, at which a Government inspector ruled in their favour.

The battle was so rancorous that the minister, Rev Paul Hedworth, quit the same year.

And the sports club were angry at being threatened with eviction several times and hit with demands for thousands of pounds in back rent.

In a joint statement, representatives of both sides said they were pleased to have finally reached a deal.

The statement adds: "It is the hope of both the church and the sports club that this agreement will enable them to provide first-rate facilities for the community in a new Millenium."

Although land round Ainsworth is green belt, planning policies allow for appropriate development, one type of which is outdoor sporting facilities.

The church has twice been refused planning permission for development on the Bolton Road fields, mainly because sporting facilities would be lost.

Permission for a new church was granted in 1987, but lapsed as the Methodists had no way of building it unless the land was sold.

Borough planning officer Jim Metcalf said residents near both Bolton Road and Ainsworth would be consulted on the plans very soon. The applications will be considered by councillors in the New Year.

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