EXPLORATORY plans for hundreds of homes on the green belt south of Burtonwood have provoked anger among residents.

Plans sent to Warrington Borough Council suggest 250 homes, of two and three storeys, could be built on farmland off Clay Lane.

A more formal and detailed planning application would have to be submitted before any decisions were made.

Documents lodged as part of this process stated: “The site is located within the green belt but this is a planning, not environmental, designation.

“We are of the view that very special circumstances exist to allow housing on this site – namely the significant shortfall in market housing provision within the borough, the urgent need for the supply of affordable housing in the borough, the recognised need to release land from the green belt to accommodate development needs and the sustainable nature of Burtonwood as a location for further housing to meet recognised development needs.

“In terms of significance of impact, the environmental studies carried out to date suggest that this would be low and of a local nature only.”

But the application has provoked a strong response from neighbours.

More than 20 have objected with worries over development on the green belt, the impact on traffic and the lack of infrastructure already in Burtonwood.

One Clay Lane resident said: "The village is already becoming over crowded, the country roads in and out of Burtonwood will not cope with the extra traffic. The schools, bus services and other amenities will be under a lot of pressure to cope with the already growing number of residents.

"This is a small county village and we would like to keep it this way."

Another added: "This is ridiculous, we are losing all our green belt. That was the reason our family bought property in that area. Now we wish we hadn't."

Another voiced worries over flooding risks: "I believe that the current drainage system in the village cannot cope to accommodate such a large increase of properties as proposed."

Developers will now have to decide whether to make a formal planning application.