A COMPANY which plans to transform an area of Atherton has assured people in neighbouring Westhoughton they will not suffer from noise pollution and an invasion of heavy goods vehicles.

The firm looking to develop the 100 acre site near Bag Lane insists there are no proposals to wash coal from the Gibfield tip site, next to Daisy Hill.

At a meeting of Westhoughton council, members were told by town hall planning officers that Black Country Properties may want to extract the mineral.

Councillors said there had been no mention of washing the coal, initially, and they had been told that the area was to be landscaped.

Cllr David Wilkinson, leader of the town council, said he was worried this could lead to noise pollution and lorries squeezing through the already congested streets.

But the Wolverhampton-based company today said it had no plans to wash the coal.

Owen Michaelson, development director at Black Country Properties, said: "We only intend to landscape the site.

"We will always try to be as open as possible with people about our plans for this development."

Mr Michaelson said washing coal was one option the company had to consider at the former Gadbury Fold brickworks.

He said by law the firm had to assess whether it would be possible to carry out the work for environmental reasons.

Black Country Properties said Gibfield Park, including the Bag Lane open-cast site and the former Gadbury Fold brickworks, between Bag Lane/North Road and Schofield Lane, will be transformed "from an environmental scar to a new community asset" if the proposals are given the go ahead.

It would lead to 700 new jobs, 459 houses and a community woodland area.

The proposals have been exhibited in the Atherton area and residents have given their views.