A "NEW town" development which could have swallowed up massive tracts of East Lancashire countryside was revealed to stunned councillors.

The plan to build Yuppie-style housing, commercial units and leisure facilities on at least 900-acres of green field land had been kept a close secret.

But news of the project, by construction conglomerate AMEC Regeneration, was revealed to councillors at a private meeting.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.