'What's going on outside the nursery near my house is a complete and utter joke'

People living near a nursery say visitors are blocking their drives. Councillors have given bosses retrospective planning permission to extend its capacity from 43 to 53 and to boost its staff by 12 to 14, despite neighbours' concerns.

The nursery, in the Hindley area of Wigan, had already converted two apartments above the former pub building on Castle Hill Road to cope with the extra toddlers. The first-floor accommodation includes two classrooms; an office and kitchen dining room; bathroom facilities; and an office. Permitted hours of opening will remain as 7am to 6pm from Monday to Friday.

Concerns have been raised by neighbours over street parking and across people's drives.

Owner Jackie McElhatton told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "I am working with parents to try to prevent parking in undesirable places like across people's drives. We don't have any on-site parking, so we rely on parking on the street."

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She said parents pick up and drop off children throughout the day and there are only four cars visiting at any one time, 'unlike a primary or secondary school'. Resident Julie Hurst, 62, who lives opposite the side entrance to the nursery on Scott Avenue, in a written objection, complained that the facility has no on-site parking for its staff and no drop-off or pick-up points.

"There is no parking for clients/parents," she wrote. "The nursery said the council was doing what it can over parking issues, but if the plan put forward is the best answer it can come up with, it is a complete and utter joke."

Another letter to planners delivered anonymously said there was a 'lack of parking' near the nursery. It read: "The nursery staff and