IT'S time for the public to have their say on plans to store gas under the River Wyre, say campaigners and Wyre Borough Council.

Thornton Action Group (TAG), which opposes the planning application by American energy company Canatxx, has called a public meeting at Thornton Little Theatre, Four Lane Ends, Thornton, for this Monday (January 12) at 7.30pm.

And Wyre Borough Council has also called public meetings on January 28 at St Aidan's High School, Preesall, and January 29 at Fleetwood's Marine Hall, starting at 7pm.

Howard Phillips, chairman of TAG, said: "We've done a leaflet drop to about 7,500 homes in Thornton.

"Although the council is holding meetings either side of the Wyre, there wasn't going to be anything in Thornton, so that's why TAG have called this meeting."

He said TAG is 'hopeful of a full turn-out' and that people will be able to ask questions and put their views to Cllr Vivien Taylor, portfolio holder for resources at Wyre Borough Council, and Ian Mulroy, chairman of Protect Wyre Group, an umbrella organisation of which TAG is part.

The council's meetings will be chaired by Wyre leader Cllr Alan Vincent, and local MPs have also been invited to attend the meetings, a council spokesman said.

Although Canatxx's planning application affects land within Wyre borough, the final decision will be taken by Lancashire County Council (LCC) because of the nature of the application. But the county council will be asking the opinion of Wyre's councillors on the plans.

"Before we do that we want to give local people the opportunity of expressing their views," said Cllr Vincent.

Canatxx has applied for permission to create salt caverns under the River Wyre opposite Stanah and use them for storing up to two million tonnes of natural gas.

Many locals are against the plans because they fear there could be an explosion, there may be a negative impact on property values and that marine and other wildlife could be damaged by the creation of the caverns.

But Canatxx has said safety is paramount, environmental impact would be minimised, and that the scheme would create around 150 temporary and 15 permanent jobs.

You can still write with your views on the application to Lancashire County Council at PO Box 78, County Hall, Fishergate, Preston, PR1 8XJ.

Questions can be put to Canatxx in writing on a form available from ukteam@canatxx.demon.co.uk or Canatxx Gas Storage Ltd, Prospect House, Hillhouse International, Thornton Cleveleys, FY5 4QD.