THE dramatic spread of Preston's urban areas could still be halted after Britain's transport minister threw green campaigners a potential lifeline.

Minister Keith Hill says plans for the Broughton by-pass, and the countless housing projects which are on the cards for the area, could go to another public inquiry if planning permission is granted.

The Minister, who has been in his new post just 17 days, was visiting Preston to meet up with transport operators and decision-makers in a bid to improve the area's public services.

But when he arrived at County Hall, in Preston, he was surrounded by dozens of placard-waving protesters who hope the government will sympathise with them.

After meeting with the campaigners, Mr Hill said: "In my capacity, there is nothing I can do, as it is a local government decision but there is every possibility that individual planning applications could well go to public inquiries involving a government inspector.

"I listened with interest and humanity to their concerns, and I appreciate that powerful passions are involved here."

Locals - who believe the project is intended to open up miles of untouched land to housebuilders - hope their presence will bear fruit in the future.

David Ratcliff, headteacher at Broughton CE Primary School, said: "The bypass will come within yards of the school and I feel it is important that I am here to represent the children here.

"The bypass will not solve the traffic problems in Broughton, it will make it worse. The scheme is being implemented to allow builders to build huge estates here. We don't want to become part of some glorified Greater Preston."

Campaigners are also angry that the NHS is believed to be offering cash to help fund the bypass if it gets permission to build houses on the site of Whittingham Hospital.

Sylvia Pickering, from the Preston and South Ribble Civic Trust, said: "This area would be ruined if these projects went ahead. The bypass would pass a 400-year-old school and a historic church and ruin the entire community."

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