ANGRY residents in Whittle-le-Woods have put pen to paper and started a petition against a planned £1.5 million link road which they say will ruin the local green belt.

The road is designed to take traffic from a new development at Buckshaw Village, which could create 2,500 jobs, to the A6 near the Sea View pub in Whittle-le-Woods

The North West Development Agency has ploughed £1.3 million into the employment area, which was announced recently by the borough council.

But the road will run through the picturesque green belt land and residents of nearby homes have joined together to protest.

Petition organiser Deborah Grierson, 43, who lives in Lupin Close just 100 yards from where the road will emerge said: "This will really affect our quality of life.

"We have organised the petition to show our solidarity and hope that the council will listen to our concerns."

Deborah and her two neighbours, Steven Halliwell and David North, have already collected hundreds of signatures, which Deborah presented to planning chiefs at Chorley Borough Council.

The main objections are that the increased volume of traffic would make it extremely difficult for vehicles, that the increased traffic would cause upheaval to residents' lives, and that the route would see the culling of several established oak trees.

The residents are proposing an alternative route near Hartwood roundabout.

Deborah, an IT worker, added: "We have a lot of support from residents and are hoping the council will listen to our suggestions."

British Aerospace Properties, which is designing and building the road, was unavailable for comment.

The council is expected to consider the construction of the road at its development control committee meeting in October.

Alan Croston, head of planning at Chorley Borough Council said: "The use of the land for development has been agreed in principle for some time and is outlined in the local plan.

"We will of course consider all objections raised and will be consulting with the Highways Authority about the planned link road."