MEMBERS of Culcheth and Glazebury Action Group are gearing themselves up for the fight of their lives as a Public Inquiry opened this week to discuss the future of the villages.

The Inquiry, which is expected to last until July, will discuss the Warrington Borough Local Plan, which includes plans to allocate land to the west of Taylor Industrial Estate between Culcheth and Risley as employment land.

This, says villagers, will mean the destruction of the Green Belt area, a massive increase of traffic, especially commuters and heavy vehicles, and will bring about the downfall of Culcheth as a separate village with its own identity since industrial growth would merge the village with Risley.

In addition, the Inquiry, which will hear Culcheth and Glazebury objections on Tuesday, March 19, to the granting of development which would, they say, also drive house prices down in a time when house prices are already depressed.

In a letter to the council, which will be read at the hearing, one Action Group member William Smart wrote: "Culcheth has increased possibly more than 100 percent since 1968 but still has the same road system. It is not only a commuter area but seems to be a crossroads for traffic much too heavy for our roads.

"We have juggernauts negotiating tight right hand bends, and on the last bend out of the village travelling towards Warrington heavy traffic has to negotiate oncoming traffic travelling towards the East Lancs Road and M6 motorway."

A spokesperson for Warrington Council said: "The objections and comments of Culcheth and Glazebury Action Group have been earmarked to be heard on March 19, and are expected to last a good part of the day."

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