SIR: Despite outrage over a scheme to build Europe's latest open cast coal mine in Little Hulton, not one objection has been sent to planners which are Salford, Bolton and Wigan councils who are considering the revised scheme submitted by RJB.

Now the community are warned that new objections must now be submitted to the planning departments concerned and must be in written form before the March 1997 planning committee meeting in an effort to thwart the new application. The objections made by 96 per cent of families for the unsuccessful bid five years ago are void, and fresh letters of opposition are required. If formal letters of objection are not received by the committee the application for planning consent will be difficult to block.

The new proposals include the area behind Kenyon Estate, stretching to Over Hulton from the Manchester to Wigan railway line, up to the A6. The plans being considered reveal that open cast mining would be from 7am to 7pm Monday to Friday, while the coal washing plant would also run for 12 hours every day.

The main fears centre around noise, and horrendous dust problems and an added threat of health risks to an area which already has one of the highest rates of heart disease in the country.

So come on folks if you want to avoid problems for the next 10 years or so get those letters for objection in now!

Mr J Heston

Hilton Lane, Walkden

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.