OVER 100 Xanadu scheme objectors met on Monday night at Leigh Cricket Club and accused Wigan Council of hypocrisy.

They claim backing the project contradicts its own 1996 UDP future development blueprint.

Andy Peebles, of Clarke Street, chaired the second protest at Leigh's Beech Walk cricket club and asked:"Is Wigan Council truly aware of the impact Xanadu would have on the community? Is the Council contradicting its own UDP in pursuit of profit?

"The UDP states the Council will not permit development likely to result in unacceptable levels of pollution nor which would prejudice adjacent land reserved for other uses, pollute watercourses and groundwater and be likely to result in unacceptable noise levels in proximity to dwellings."

"Yet Xanadu proposals would lead to a massive increase in PM10s which are proven to cause asthma and other debilitating illnesses in children and the elderly due to the body's inability to filters out tiny and damaging particles.

"It is also known these contain cancer causing substances."

Last month when the Xanadu planning application was formally lodged with the Council results of an environmental impact survey were reported as being acceptable.

Campaigners against Xanadu are inviting councillors to a public meeting starting at 7.15pm on Monday in Leigh Cricket Club, Beech Walk, Pennington.

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