A BACKLASH against proposals to develop the former Huncoat power station site as a waste recycling centre has started just days after the plans were unveiled.

Local residents are now hoping to call a public meeting to protest against the plans, which could see rubbish from across East Lancashire arriving at Huncoat for treatment.

Householders on roads overlooking the site, in the Lower Gate area of the village, claim the plans could give the whole village a bad reputation, and even reduce house prices. Louise Burton, of Peter Grime Row, Huncoat, has been appointed a spokesperson for local residents, and is hoping to organise a public meeting to discuss the plans.

She said: "Residents have really tried to raise the quality of Huncoat. There has been a project called Huncoat in Bloom and the local community have contributed and provided funding for this to go ahead. It's a real community thing.

"But instead of Huncoat in Bloom, it's going to be more like Huncoat in Gloom.

"Huncoat already has a very large landfill site that is going to have at least another 40 years of life.

"There are environmental issues, and problems of traffic as well.

"If this waste site goes ahead, the traffic is going to be ten-fold. A lot of residents are really concerned. To be honest, a lot of them are just resigning themselves to the fact that Huncoat takes whatever is coming."

Some councillors and residents have given the plans a cautious welcome, arguing the hi-tech waste treatment centre would be better than a decaying former industrial site.

But householders who live near to the land say the scheme has just been thrust on them, with no chance of consultation.

David Hammer, 53, of Burnley Road, said: "Why should we have to recycle the whole of East Lancashire's waste here?

"They know what they're going to do, it isn't like they will be discussing it -- they're already telling people when it's going to open.

"There seems to be no consultation with anyone. Who wants to live next to a recycling plant?"

But the county council today promised that the public would be fully consulted.

A Lancashire County Council spokesman said: "Our intention is to keep the public as informed as possible throughout the whole process.

"We have already written to residents and if the proposals do reach the point of needing planning permission, then they will have another chance to make their views known."