COUNCILLORS are set to visit a Radcliffe cul-de-sac before deciding whether a new church and school sports hall can be built there.

St Mary and St Philip Neri RC Church has submitted plans to build an £850,000 church next to St Mary's Primary School in Belgrave Street, Radcliffe. A new school sports hall and car park would also be built.

But neighbours are concerned about parking and congestion in the already busy cul-de-sac, and are calling for traffic-calming measures to be put in place.

Bury Council's planning department have received 25 objections and one letter in favour of the plans.

At their meeting on Tuesday evening, held at Bury Town Hall, the planning control committee voted to visit the site before making a decision.

They will travel there on August 21 to have a look around, before considering the application at their meeting later that day.

Disgruntled residents who have been fighting the plans are delighted with the councillors' decision.

Leading campaigner Pat Bradley, who lives close to the school in Belgrave Street, said: "We are very pleased that we have got a site visit. It's the best thing that we could have hoped for. We are absolutely thrilled about it. We were concerned that many of the committee don't know the area and now they will be able to see it and put it into perspective."

Mrs Bradley and other residents are now working hard to prepare their case against the plans. A representative will have the chance to speak for two minutes during the meeting, before the councillors make their decision.

She added: "It gives us another month to correlate further information. We will be co-ordinating what we do and say at the meeting next month."