PLANS to develop former mill reservoirs in Elton and Lowercroft for commercial fishing have met with a further wall of opposition.

More than 120 people packed into Lowercroft Primary School on Thursday, when fears about the future of the Whitehead's and Parkers lodges resurfaced.

The special meeting was called after local concerns were voiced at a meeting of Bury West area board a week earlier.

Two separate plans for the development of commercial angling on lodges owned by Mr Keith Talbot were outlined.

He maintains that fishing is the only viable future for the reservoirs, and that without it they are in danger of being filled in.

However, walkers and residents fear that work on access roads for fishermen will pave the way for housing development if the venture fails.

At Lowercroft, two car parks are planned: one on land at the centre of an application for village green status made by the Friends of Cockey Moor, Whitehead's and Parkers Lodges.

A stone track from Slaidburn Drive will be resurfaced and extended to meet waterside parking bays on the middle lodge.

Across the water at Old Barn farm, a similar car park is proposed.

Residents also heard that Mr Talbot had submitted plans to build a visitor centre with flats between the lower Parkers lodge and Diggle Lane allotments.

Speaking for the applications, Mr Talbot said that without fishing income to pay for maintenance, the lodges could be taken over by the Environment Agency and culverted.

He said: "I cannot stress enough how important it is that these car parks are given to us in order to attract more anglers.

"It is imperative that somewhere up there, some form of income is derived from these waters because it cannot be financed any other way.

"The reservoirs are costly to maintain and they are constantly under threat. Reservoirs that are not maintained have to be filled in."

However, Mr David Pilling, speaking against the Parkers application, voiced concerns over access and the need for residential buildings on the site.

And Friends chairman Elaine Shirt said the application should not be considered until the village green inquiry was complete.

She said: "This village green area is of great natural beauty. It is a wildlife corridor and is a local source of pleasure and recreation.

"It is green belt and should be protected and not developed in any way."

"Why are there two car parks serving the same lodge? It looks very much like a double route into the green belt."

President of Radcliffe Angling Club, Dennis Eckersall added that, in his opinion, the Whitehead's lodges could not support proposed numbers of around 200 anglers.

Although no verdict could be delivered by the area board, due to planning protocol, members voiced their own individual opinions.

Coun John Costello said: "We have anglers saying these lodges aren't likely to be commercially viable and that makes me slightly suspicious as to why these access roads are wanted in the first place."

And Coun Roy Walker said: "This seems to be a Trojan horse. It seems to be bringing into the area something that is not here now and that will change the whole atmosphere and environment of the area."

Their comments will be forwarded to the relevant planning hearing, expected to take place in June or July.