Mr MartlandBLACKROD residents have rallied to fight plans for a gas valve site on a green field site off Blundell Lane.

Led by Peter Martland who lives 100 yards from the proposed site, hundreds of residents have signed petitions objecting to the construction of what they claim will be an eyesore in the picturesque area.

The application has come from British Gas Transco. It is proposing to take over a quarter acre site, which, for safety reasons, would be protected by a seven foot high fence.

"It will look like a concentration camp," stormed Mr Martland, who has lived in one of the nearby listed cottages for 17 years.

"It's not as if it's going to be hidden away. It will actually be on the highway."

Apart from claiming it will be an eyesore, residents also object to the siting of a high pressure gas installation for safety reasons.

Mr Martland pointed out that a nearby luxury farmhouse was ravaged after being hit twice by lightning in 1994, and in 1997 part of a farm off Blundell Lane was badly damaged during a violent storm.

Attacks

"They say lightning doesn't strike twice, but it does here. Can you imagine the devastation if a massive gas pipe was hit? " said Mr Martland.

He also claims it would be susceptible to terrorist attacks.

Mr Martland is so incensed by the plan, he has taken it on himself, each weekend, to highlight the scheme to motorists who drive past his home.

With the indicator lights of his car flashing, and a placard pointing to the possible eyesore, he has spent hours getting motorists to back his campaign by signing one of 13 petitions he has put out in Blackrod.

Peter Ashby, from Bolton's planning department, confirmed that outline planning permission had been sought for a block valve site, which would operate and maintain a proposed gas pipeline between Mawdsley and Warrington.

He called the site "substantial" and said that permission to erect security fencing had also been applied for.

He said that to date he had received more than 10 letters of objection.

He also confirmed that Blackrod councillors had said they had no objections to the plans, subject to satisfactory landscaping and other issues yet to be hammered out.

Mr Martland is due to hand over his petitions to the council next week.

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