Traffic chaos is on the cards with proposals to make Fairfax Road in Prestwich a one-way route.

Countryside Properties, the firm behind the controversial nine-storey apartments complex on the former Sainsbury's site, have applied to Bury Council to close the road to traffic travelling from Poppythorn Lane towards Bury New Road.

The closure is expected to come into force at the end of July for 15 to 18 months.

The move is to enable heavy construction traffic to make deliveries to the site and for them to store materials for the development.

But the news has angered Monsignor John Allen, the priest at our Lady of Grace Church, opposite the development in Fairfax Road.

Father Allen, who publicly objected to the high rise development, said: "Bury planners and the developers promised us minimum disruption but this is not. It is maximum disruption and is another slap in the face for the residents of Prestwich."

Father Allen said he was concerned about the effect of the closure on school traffic and on funeral and wedding parties.

Borough engineer Mike Cannon said: "Fairfax Road will be closed in one direction. Traffic coming from Poppythorn Lane will be diverted to join Bury New Road further down.

"It will be inconvenient but it is the developers who have requested this. We have discussed alternatives with them, but there is no other practical way of dealing with it."