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Residents of Atherton are being invited to a public consultation this week regarding plans to construct 550 houses on farmland to the east of the town. The Lilford Estate, a property company, is set to submit a planning application for the 51-acre site in an area known as Shakerley.

Now the company is hosting a consultation event where its representatives can answer queries about the proposals. Members of the local community group ASPECT will also be attending.

The proposed development is located to the east of Atherton, south of Bolton Road, covering approximately 51.5 acres currently used as agricultural grazing land. Plans include 550 'high-quality' new family homes, ample open space and landscaping, which aim to provide 'lasting benefits to both existing and new residents of Atherton'.

Access to the development will be off Bolton Road, with Marton Drive providing emergency access. A leaflet distributed by Lilford ahead of the meeting says: "Increasing demand for new quality housing in Wigan couples with the Government's ambition to boost housing stock in sustainable locations. The land east of Atherton is a prime location for such development, combined with its proximity to existing facilities and services."

The document says the land to the east of Atherton is designated as a 'Broad Location' for housing within the Wigan Core Strategy (2013), and Wigan Council's Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment has identified this land as potentially delivering up to 600 new homes by 2039. The masterplan has been crafted to illustrate the 'developable areas', public open spaces, public footpaths and cycleways, new green routes through the development, and where the scheme will be accessed via primary and secondary routes, reports .

The consultation will be held at Atherton and Tyldesley Botanical Gardens, 232 Tyldesley Road in Atherton, M26 9EA on Wednesday (February 5) from 3pm to 8pm. Displays will also be accessible on the website www.consulteastofatherton.co.uk from Wednesday.All feedback must be submitted by Saturday, February 15.

Cllr James Fish, who represents Tydesley and Mosley Common for the Independent Network party, shared information about the public meeting on Facebook, and urged local residents to attend.

Responses have also been posted with one stating it was "only a matter of time" before another planning application emerged following the rejection of a plan for housing at Shams Farm at the site.