CONSERVATIVES have been forced to backtrack on a campaign to prevent a hotel and country club from being built on what they claimed was green belt land.

Ramsbottom Cllr Ian Bevan and prospective parliamentary candidate David Nuttall slammed the development proposed for Ripon Hall Avenue and Haigh Hall Close, on the Whittingham Drive estate in Ramsbottom.

The planning application, which has been lodged with Bury Council, also includes leisure facilities, restaurants, bars three function rooms and car parking.

The pair claimed the plans were proposed on green belt land, however it has since been revealed the development would be built on ‘river valley’ land.

In the Bury Unitary Development Plan, which is Bury’s main local plan that shapes the borough’s planning policies, it states: “The council is keen to retain the open character of the river valleys by controlling development. This is to protect, as much as possible, the open land which is left and to help to implement future conservation, recreational and environmental programmes and strategies.”

It adds that exceptions relate to the “recreation and tourism” objectives of the plan.

The site is adjacent to the fields used by Brandlesholme Warriors JFC.

Cllr Ian Bevan said: “As a local councillor, I have consistently opposed development in the green belt and on our green field sites. Ramsbottom’s green spaces needs to be protected from developers and I will strongly oppose this planning application.”

The Tories have removed any mention of the plans being built on green belt land on their website but they still oppose the development.