ATHERTON people have shown their continued support for the SAS campaign against plans to build 1,250 houses on open land stretching from Howe Bridge to Hindsford.

Save Atherton South campaigners raised over £1,000 with a 60s and 70s music night at the Jubilee Hall, Atherton, boosting their funds to fight Wigan Council’s WIG 156 plans. The re-examination of development proposals begins on March 5 at Leigh Sports Village.

SAS spokesman Gerald Butler said; "Atherton residents are angry about Wigan Council’s plans to ignore their wishes.

"We are not experts in fighting these sorts of campaigns, we are ordinary people who care about what happens to our Green Belt. We are ready to fight this case.

"We also urge residents who objected to register to speak by  February 1 and we will help you and give you any support you need."

The Group have already lodged a formal complaint to the Council.

Mr Butler said this only month they were informed that their objection had not been processed by the Council, despite the Council making decisions last October.

The Group intends to refer this to the Local Government Ombudsman. They had sought a barrister’s opinion on their submission document last September and presented a number of legal points in their objection to the proposal to designate WIG 156 as ‘Safeguarded Land’ for housing development.

"Unfortunately, these were not taken into account," said Mr Butler, "The fight continues."