CONCERNED residents gathered to raise their objections for plans to build up an electrical generator with 38-foot high chimneys on green field land in Westhoughton.

UK Energy Reserve Limited have applied for permission from Bolton Council to construct a gas fired electricity generating compound on the site of a former coal yard between the A58 and Manchester Road, next to the Chequerbent roundabout.

A public meeting packed out a room in the Wheatsheaf Inn tonight as residents gathered to express their objection to the plans.

Chairing the meeting, Jim Smethurst of Knowles Bridge Farm said residents needed to band together to submit objections before the end of the consultation period on Friday.

He said: “This is not a small time generator, it’s a big project and apparently there’s not one like that has been built in this country before.

“If it is just feeding back into the national grid it can be built anywhere.”

Residents raised concerns about increased traffic on an already busy road and noise level.

Keith Aldered, whose home overlooks the site, said: “When there was a scrap yard there it had me jumping out of bed in the morning because of the noise.

“Imagine the noise it will make this time!”

While the application argues a need for the generator, residents argued that the application was being made as means to support the separate 1,700-house estate south of the roundabout.

Mr Smethurst added: “There’s a noise problem with it, there’s an environmental problem with it but one of our biggest problems is what it is for.

“”We know it’s for this application for 1,700 house by Peel Holdings.”

Residents were encouraged to write in letters of objection and sign petition against the plans, while Dave Feanley of the Westhoughton Against Damaging Developments group argued the importance of raising objections on the grounds of the damage the development would cause local wildlife.