RESIDENTS in Atherton have organised a meeting tomorrow night, Thursday, in reaction to a new metal scrapyard development.

Work has started at Maxilead Limited's new base north of Chanters Industrial Estate including trees being cleared

But people who live in the area say they have never been consulted about the planning application, which was approved by Wigan Council in January.

A meeting at the Botanical Gardens Association on Tyldesley Road will take place at 7pm with Bolton West MP Chris Green expected to attend and listen to his constituents' concerns about the move and its impact on the surrounding areas.

He said: “I have had a lot of Atherton residents contact me about this site with a concerning amount of people telling me that they were not notified that this was even a proposal.

“I will be working with local residents to get to the bottom of this and I have already written to Wigan Council with my concerns.

"It is important that local people, especially those neighbouring any potential development, have their say and make their views known.

“The big worry now is that a green light for this site will make way for thousands of new houses to be built in Atherton East, all without local people being given an appropriate chance to scrutinise the plans properly.”

Maxilead Limited's are moving from its existing Parr Bridge Works base in Tyldesley, which will be replaced by a 154-home development that will include building three restaurants or cafes, three shops, one nursery, a health centre and a gym.

In response to the Atherton development, Wigan Council said the planning application for the site followed the correct procedures.

A spokesman said: "The application was submitted last year on March 20 and was subject to two rounds of public consultation involving 65 individual neighbour letters, three site notices and a press notice.

"The letters were sent out on March 21 and September 6 respectively, and the press notice was published on the March 30.

"The site notices were posted on March 27.

"Those people that objected were notified of the planning committee meeting on January 8 this year."