A CONTROVERSIAL five-bedroom house in Lostock has been pulled down — but the developer wants to replace it with another similar property.

The house in Regent Road was originally built without correct planning permission and last summer Bolton Council chiefs ordered that it be should be demolished.

But later that year, the council’s planning committee gave “retrospective approval” to an amended plan.

The developers were then forced to demolish side walls and cut the length of the house by three metres — as well as relaying foundations.

But the building was torn down by contractors on Friday and now a new house could replace it, after planning chiefs deferred a decision on new plans.

Lostock councillor Bob Allen, who sits on the planning committee, says the latest application is “inadequate” and has demanded that the council sees more detailed plans before a decision is made.

The site has been the subject of 13 planning applications in just four years. Neil Atkinson, speaking on behalf of residents, said: “The first thing to say is that we are absolutely delighted that it has been demolished.

“But we know that there is another planning application currently in and we know that this long-running issue is not over.

“One of the big problems with this site is that there is a side road directly next to it — I am also worried about what will happen to the two large trees on the grounds of the site, because they have tree protection orders on them.”

Another resident, who asked not to be named, said the saga of the site had left “a bad taste in the mouth”.

He added: “It is a shame because this has always been a good community and we like to look after each other.”

The first application for the site four years ago was to build an extra storey on an existing bungalow.

A fresh application for a completely new house was made shortly after that was given approval.

The latest application, submitted earlier this year, seeks to use attic space as a fifth bedroom, while the internal layout has been altered to remove a corridor running the length of the house.

The developer, retired doctor Dr Mohammed Sidda, was unavailable for comment.