THE bitter struggle to save Red Moss from becoming a "supertip" could begin again.

Hundreds of letters of objection have already been lodged to Bolton Council expressing anger that Red Moss on the Horwich-Bolton boundary is STILL earmarked for waste disposal.

The proposals have been drafted in Bolton Council's Unitary Development Plan blueprint which takes the borough into the new Millennium.

Bolton Council Group Planning Officer Simon Godley has received letters "into the hundreds" objecting to Red Moss being earmarked for future tipping.

A year ago, campaigners were jubilant when it was announced that UK Waste would not be appealing against Bolton Council's decision to reject planning permission to turn the site into a refuse tip for the whole of Greater Manchester.

The campaigners assumed it was the end of their long and bitter fight and immediately began a new drive top turn it into a permanent nature site.

Ivan Cooper, who is standing as Tory candidate for Horwich ward in the May council elections, now fears the battle to keep Red Moss as a natural open space is far from over.

He has already lodged an objection to plans published in the recent Issue Papers of the borough Unitary Development Plan - which earmarks Horwich Red Moss for "waste disposal".

Mr Cooper wants the people of Horwich to support what he describes as "the ongoing Conservative campaign" to scrap the plans.

Mr Cooper claimed the UDP proposals were "insane".

The Issues Paper defines Red Moss for waste disposal and was advertised as such by Bolton Council in the Bolton Evening News in mid-February.

Mr Cooper is now calling for a U-turn by the council so that the land can be designated as an eco-friendly recreational site for future generations.

In June last year, Cllr Jack Foster, chairman of Bolton's planning and environment committee pledged that the Red Moss tip would be safe from "supertip" plans forever.

However, the Issues papers, which people in the Bolton borough could respond to before the April 17 closing date, clearly list the area for tipping purposes.

The UDP still has a long way to go before it is rubber stamped.

Bolton Council's Environment Committee will have to tackle contentious issues later this year and the public will have a chance to object to certain proposals in a public inquiry scheduled for early next year.

Planning officer Mr Godley said: "The UDP has a lengthy legal process to go through before it is passed.

"Red Moss has been the main source of response, although there are also a lot of people objecting to certain Green Belt proposals, including landowners requesting changes to our Green Belt policies."

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