REVEALED: A masterplan for the £200million Horwich Loco Works regeneration

As well as showing the layout of the homes and open space, it details the proposed highways network including the spine road linking Horwich to Middlebrook.

Mark Caldwell, CEO of Bluemantle, said the phasing strategy had been updated following the concerns that were raised over the past few months, including about the site-wide plan, the contamination on the land and the spine road.

He said: “This is an important step forward for the delivery of the Rivington Chase development as we approach a start on site for the first phase of housing.

“Consultation with the local community will continue and we will at each stage of the project ensure we listen to local views and explain how matters are moving forward.”

Bellway Homes submitted its application to build the first 112 homes on the site earlier this year.

Councillors and residents were originally concerned that the plans had been submitted when there was no masterplan and believed the whole development would be delivered in a ‘piecemeal’ manner.

This led to worries about how and when the roads would be built and when existing contamination on the site would be dealt with.

The statement submitted with the masterplan read: “The masterplan for the site is set out in the documentation submitted as part of the hybrid planning permission, including the design and access statement, environmental impact assessment, transport assessment, remediation strategy, flood risk assessment and energy and sustainability statement.

“These include details of the access strategy for the site, drainage, site infrastructure, open space, cycle ways, footpaths and other public facilities and how the various elements of the site fit together.”

The new strategy and masterplan was presented to residents and councillors at a recent meeting of the Rivington Chase Liaison Committee.

Stuart Whittle, who sits on the committee, described the revelation of the masterplan as a ‘breakthrough’ for the community.