Botany Bay homes and retail village plan approved

The Botany Bay leisure site close to the M61 is at the heart of the redevelopment plans

Plans to redevelop the outskirts of a Lancashire market town into homes and an outlet village have been approved by councillors.

Four separate applications for 288 houses and 27,000 sq m (300,000 sq ft) of leisure and retail space in Chorley close to the M61 have been given the green light.

The plans overcame objections from critics who fear traffic problems.

The government will make a final decision on the plans by September.

FI Real Estate Management's (FIREM) will refurbish the existing Botany Bay cotton mill building into shops.

Adjacent land along the banks of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal will be developed for retail and residential use.

Residents complained the development would add to "nightmare" traffic in the Chorley area

More than 40 objections were received about the plans ahead of the meeting of Chorley Council's development control committee, mostly detailing concerns over the loss of green space and the impact on traffic.

Elaine Jefferson, from Great Knowley Residents' Association, told councillors locals already faced "nightmare" traffic and said modelling showed residents could wait up to 30 minutes get out of their own roads at busy times of the day.

Councillor Marion Lowe told the meeting the project could lead to empty shop units in Chorley town centre.

The meeting heard road improvements costing more than £2m would be funded by the developer as part of the project.

Neil Stevenson, a highways officer at Lancashire County Council, said plans for the roads had been "refined" since they were first put forward.

The plans will be referred to the secretary of state for housing, communities and local government who has 21 days to make a final decision.