RESIDENTS living in Culcheth say the latest bid to develop a barn in the village could be a breach of planning law.

The group of neighbours living on Culcheth Hall Drive say an application to build garages on the Culcheth Hall Barn site will break the decision of a planning inspector.

Now the neighbours have written to members of the borough council's development control committee ahead of a crunch meeting on Wednesday.

They want councillors to throw out the latest scheme after a planning inspector's previous decision to block the building of two homes.

Frank Waring, who lives on Culcheth Hall Drive, says that decision, which limited building to agriculture, should mean the current scheme cannot go ahead.

He said: "It would appear that to use this site for any other purpose would be unlawful.

"A recommendation by the planning department for approval by the development control committee of this application, may be tantamount to asking that committee to give sanction to the developer to carry out an unlawful act."

John Groves, development control manager at the borough council, said: "The site is not part of the green belt, so the main issue is whether the new buildings would look right in this location. It is incorrect to suggest it would be illegal to grant planning permission for this proposal. Issues relating to the status of the site as previously developed are relevant but would not prevent the grant of planning permission."