Key Points
- Rowland Homes plans 80 homes on Harwood green belt.
- Site at Arthur Lane edge qualifies as grey belt.
- Six zones with central green and biodiversity areas.
- Consultations end July; application to Bolton Council.
- Residents fear traffic, infrastructure overload in 2026.
Harwood (Bolton Today) February 24, 2026 – Rowland Homes has launched a consultation on proposals to build up to 80 new homes on a five-acre green belt site at the edge of Harwood, a village near Bolton, intensifying debates over housing needs and countryside preservation as local planning authorities eye updates in 2026.
What Are the Details of the Proposed Development?
The proposed development centres on land off Arthur Lane in Harwood, technically designated as green belt but argued by developers to meet "grey belt" criteria due to its limited openness and suitability for housing amid Bolton's supply shortages. As detailed in early plans reported by Charlie Valentine of Place North West, the scheme would divide the site into six residential zones, each featuring private shared drives for small house clusters, fostering a neighbourhood feel.
A public central green space forms the heart of the layout, complemented by smaller green areas designed to boost biodiversity, according to Rowland Homes' submissions. Access is planned from Arthur Lane at the southern boundary, with a pedestrian route along the northern edge to connect with existing paths.
Rowland Homes has confirmed some properties will be affordable, though exact numbers remain unspecified at this stage. The housebuilder described the project as "considerate and responsive to the existing area," with planning consultant Pegasus leading the consultation process.
Why Is This Green Belt Land Targeted for Housing?
Proponents argue the site qualifies as "grey belt" lower-quality green belt land that can be released without significant harm to the policy's aims of preventing urban sprawl.
According to Place North West, both Rowland Homes and Pegasus believe this status addresses Bolton's insufficient housing supply, a point echoed in the developer's recent blog post stating, "We have submitted an application for up to 80 new homes in Harwood. A proposal shaped by Grey Belt standards to meet housing needs and community benefits."
Bolton Council's emerging local plan, as outlined on their official website, sets ambitions for a "healthier, greener and better-connected Bolton," with early spatial options for new homes under consultation ahead of a full draft in summer 2026. This context underscores the pressure on green belt sites, as the council grapples with delivering housing targets.
Government guidance has deemed certain green belt plans "sound," per BBC reporting on broader proposals, prioritising brownfield development but acknowledging shortfalls that necessitate exceptional releases.
Residents have voiced strong concerns, flooding consultation channels with fears over traffic congestion and strained infrastructure.
As captured in comments on Place North West, one anonymous respondent warned, "The traffic from 80 houses on Arthur Lane would be horrendous coming through Harwood and Bradshaw would cause traffic delays of astronomical proportions."
Social media echoes these sentiments; a Facebook post in the Harwood & Bradshaw Group by Tony Bolton queried, "Green belt to be used for 80 houses in Harwood Bolton - plenty of brown sites in Bolton to use instead."
How Does This Fit into Bolton's Broader Housing Strategy?
Bolton's housing landscape faces acute shortages, with the council's 2021 data showing just 3.9 years' supply against a required five years, equating to a deficit of 863 to 1,037 homes over five years. The emerging local plan, per Bolton Council's site, invites public input on spatial options for homes and jobs, emphasising brownfield priority but recognising green belt pressures.
Council leader Tom Hunt, as quoted in BBC coverage of related plans, stated, "The independent inspectors have verified that the plan is fundamentally sound, pending certain necessary amendments... The Plan prioritizes the development of brownfield sites... Proceeding without a Local Plan leaves us vulnerable to unregulated, speculative development."
This Harwood proposal aligns with "grey belt" pushes seen elsewhere, like Persimmon Homes' Chew Moor Lane site in Westhoughton, also green belt but deemed grey, aiming to deliver much-needed homes including affordable units.
Rowland Homes, a regional housebuilder, specialises in smaller-scale, community-focused developments. Their blog post on the Harwood scheme positions it as advancing grey belt delivery in Bolton, promising benefits like affordable housing and enhanced green spaces.
Planning consultant Pegasus, assisting Rowland, handles the consultation, compiling feedback for an outline application to Bolton Council post-July 25 deadline. The firm's approach mirrors others, such as Harworth Group's 132-home approval in Little Lever, which included public open spaces and biodiversity enhancements.
What Planning Process Lies Ahead in 2026?
Consultation feedback will inform Rowland's formal outline application to Bolton Council, expected after July 2025, with decisions potentially accelerating into 2026 amid local plan progress. Bolton's Allocations Plan, adopted in 2014 but under review, identifies development sites while protecting others until 2026, with recent Places for Everyone adoption modifying some green belt boundaries.
Public consultation on plan modifications begins early March 2026, per council timelines, with inspectors' final report by late May and potential adoption by mid-July. Objectors can engage at committee stages, similar to the 330+ objections to Harwood's Longsight Lane plans, opposed even by the Woodland Trust.
Critics repeatedly cite Arthur Lane's narrow access and Harwood's roads, already burdened without a bypass. One Place North West commenter noted astronomical delays through Harwood and Bradshaw, while another decried loss of green space when brownfield abounds.
Bolton Council's development plan stresses infrastructure parity, requiring section 106 agreements for contributions like those in Slyne Road proposals: affordable housing, green spaces, biodiversity net gain, and highways funds (£1,099.85 per dwelling). Rowland's plans promise similar mitigations, but specifics await application. Beyond housing, the scheme offers a central village green, biodiversity pockets, and affordable homes to meet local needs. Rowland emphasises "community benefits" in their grey belt advocacy, akin to Persimmon's £370,000 contribution for school places in Westhoughton.
Pedestrian links and clustered designs aim to integrate with Harwood's character, avoiding urban sprawl. Pegasus-led consultations ensure resident input shapes the final proposal.
How Does National Policy Influence Local Green Belt Decisions?
National planning policy protects green belt but allows "very special circumstances" for unsustainable harm cases, often housing shortages. Government inspectors recently called green belt plans "sound" in nearby areas, prioritising supply.
Bolton's shortfall potentially 3,500 dwellings when standard method applied bolsters developers' cases, reducing supply to 2.6 years. The 2026 local plan will test these balances. Precedents abound: Harworth's 132 homes in Little Lever on former industrial land, featuring village greens and wildlife enhancements. Persimmon's Bluebell Walk phase in Westhoughton added 21 luxury homes with school funding.
Oakmere Homes' 86-home bid off Tongfields in Bromley Cross claims grey belt status on 10 acres. These highlight a pattern of green belt incursions amid shortages. The emerging plan's summer 2026 draft will allocate sites, potentially including or excluding Arthur Lane. Early themes focus on connectivity and green ambitions, with public shaping ongoing.
Without adoption, speculative bids like Rowland's persist, risking "unregulated development," per Hunt. Residents urge brownfield focus.
What Can Residents Do to Influence the Outcome?
Engage consultations via [email protected] until deadlines, attend planning committees, and respond to local plan consultations from March 2026. Groups like Harwood & Bradshaw mobilise on Facebook.
Object formally on applications, citing infrastructure, as in Longsight Lane's 330 objections. Bolton Council welcomes views on their site. This proposal exemplifies tensions between growth and preservation in Greater Manchester's commuter belt. Harwood risks character loss, but 80 homes could inject vitality, jobs, and affordability if approved in 2026.
As Bolton navigates its local plan, balancing 10,440 homes needed by 2031 with green protection remains key. The Arthur Lane saga will test community voice against housing imperatives.