CONTROVERSIAL plans for a new care home on green belt land in Rixton will not go ahead.

Developers were looking to build a 74-bed home on land bordered by Chapel Lane and Manchester Road in the village.

They said there was a need for more care home beds in that part of town.

But dozens of objections were received by Warrington Borough Council with residents complaining about its location in the green belt and the impact on traffic.

Council planning officers agreed and refused the application last year on the grounds it was inappropriate.

However the developers disagreed and appealed.

Now a planning inspector has backed the council and said the scheme could not go ahead.

A report submitted to Warrington Borough Council said: "Given the limitations of travel by public transport and on foot, future occupants, visitors and staff are likely to require access to a private car to access the services and facilities available at Hollins Green and larger settlements.

"The resulting additional car journeys would give rise to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

"The proposal by reason of the poor outlook from a number of bedrooms and inadequate and poor quality external amenity space the development would not provide a satisfactory standard of residential accommodation for future occupiers of the site."

And the government planning inspector agreed.

He concluded: "I have found that the development is inappropriate development in the green belt as it would introduce a large building on to currently undeveloped land.

"Furthermore, the development would also harm the openness of the green belt through the introduction of a large building which would block views across the currently open land from the A57 and Chapel Lane."