RECENT events show that the people of Leigh cannot trust the local council to adopt a consistent approach to the development of land surrounding Pennington Flash Country Park.

Less than nine months ago councillors Jarvis, Anderson and Brooks were opposing a proposal to develop 4.15 hectares of land near Taylor's Hole, off St Helens Road, Leigh. The proposal was to build around 150 houses on the site.

According to The Journal of January 16 1997, Cllr Jarvis said:

"This land is not designated for housing in the UDP. People in the Kirkham Road and Lightburne Avenue are rightly concerned about traffic problems.

"The environmentalists are also right in what they say. We are losing a lot of open space. This is a further encroachment on a wildlife corridor."

He delivered very much the same message to a meeting of local residents at Leigh Cricket Club on January 23, 1997.

As the elected member for my area, I would ask Cllr Jarvis how he can now support the Metro's pro-Xanadu stance. It is to be built on an adjacent site, and it will have an infinitely greater impact than 150 houses.

Similarly, I would question his view that the proper forum for objections and observations is the planning committee meeting which eventually decides on the application. The public cannot address such meetings. It relies upon written representations and local councillors to put forward its point of view.

This is an application of such significance that it demands the setting up of a public inquiry by the Secretary of State for the Environment. Only then can residents and businesses of Leigh be satisfied that their views can be considered fully and without restriction.

Concerned Resident

(Name and address

supplied)

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