THE decision by supermarket chain Morrisons to withdraw their controversial planning application for a £20 million distribution centre adjacent to the former Parkside colliery site has sparked mixed reactions.

St Helens Council leader Dave Watts expressed "deep disappointment"at the loss of prospective jobs, but Jim Browning chairman of the Save Newton and Winwick Campaign hailed it as a "victory for common sense."

The council originally approved plans for the site last year, but these met with fierce opposition from local residents who claimed that the proposed warehouse and storage facility would have drastic consequences for the local area.

Councillor Watts said: "In an area which has suffered major job losses over recent years this is a serious setback to our efforts to bring new industry and jobs into the borough."

But Jim Browning commented: "We have fought long and hard over the past 18 months to prevent this development, which would have destroyed acres of good quality farmland. And we also believed that it would have had nightmare traffic and environmental implications for the area."

The site would have provided nearly 900 jobs, 75 per cent of which, Morrisons pledged, would have been full time. The company also indicated that they would work closely with training and employment agencies to provide many jobs for local people.

On January 25 this year the planning application was called in by the Government for a public inquiry, and Dave Watts has blamed Morrisons decision on the Government's delay in holding the inquiry.

It is believed that the company has now found an alternative site in Cheshire. No decision on the future of the Parkside Colliery site, which is owned by British Coal, has been made yet.

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