CAMPAIGNERS against a coal storage and distribution yard in Station Road, Blackrod, were making a final attempt to stop the controversial plans being given the go-ahead today at a meeting of Bolton Council's planning meeting committee.

Their campaign against the yard has included sending 600 letters of objection to the Planning Department and lodging a formal complaint against Bolton Council. Protesters claim a number of mistakes had been made in relation to the application before it was even considered by the planning committee last month.

Despite landowners Dickinson and Sons Ltd having withdrawn support for the controversial planning application and promising they will not be leasing land to applicants CMR (Estates) Ltd, residents still fear the application could be given the green light. Families remain angry that they only found out about the application after reading a story in the BEN and are also arguing that access to the land does not meet the council's own highways regulations.

They say the application lacks adequate detail and there are already environmental problems at an adjacent site after planning permission was given to Dickinson for a recycling plant in 1999.

The Dickinson family, well known as transport contractors in Horwich and Blackrod, has repeated its promise that the coal yard will not be built on their land.

Campaigner Mike Murray said: "Today is the day that we have been waiting for.

"It is now in the hands of the planning committee and we are quite confident that they will refuse planning permission.

"However, we are aware that CMR Holdings could appeal against the decision and if this is the case we are ready to carry on the campaign against Horwich and Blackrod residents having this monstrosity on our doorsteps."

The application was deferred at the October planning meeting to allow for traffic reports to be compiled.