CONTROVERSIAL multi-million pound plans to build a water treatment works and underground reservoir in Lostock have been given the go ahead.

Councillors voiced their support for the £12 million plan despite parents of youngsters at a nearby children's nursery describing the scheme as an "accident waiting to happen".

Council leader Cllr Bob Howarth said: "It is a national thing to improve water for everyone."

Water company United Utilities will construct the covered reservoir, capable of holding 35 million litres of water, on land behind Chorley New Road and Lostock Park Drive.

The works, designed to remove water-borne bug Cryptosporidium from the supply serving around 500,000 homes in Bolton, will be built near the existing plant.

The plant will see 180 million litres of water being treated daily as part of a £3 billion water investment plan across the region.

Construction could start in September 2003 for two years.

But Sonia Biggs, owner of Meadow Hill Nursery in Chorley New Road, fears 40-tonne trucks rumbling along an access route beside her nursery, catering for children up to the age of five, could result in tragedy.

Parents backed her plea for United Utilities to change the access route. Bolton Council received 29 letters of objection although water chiefs changed their planned access route.

Objectors have also submitted a document detailing reasons why access from Chorley New Road is unsuitable.

Plans say deliveries will be made two to three times a day.

But Bolton councillors gave the plans the go-ahead at a meeting on Thursday. They said the development was vitally important to safeguard Bolton's water supply.

Little Lever Councillor Robert Evans said: "This is a development that must go ahead and as soon as possible. The whole community is going to benefit. It is the right place for this facility and we are happy to accept the access should be at any time."

And Cllr John Hanscomb of Deane cum Heaton, said : We understand there are concerns but the access belongs to United Utilities and we cannot stop them using it. I would not feel comfortable putting restrictions on it."

Residents also fear chemicals being used at the site could pose a health risk.

The plans have now been given to the director of Environment, Ray Jefferson, for documents for technical documents to be drawn up before it is given the final go-ahead.