Contaminated rubble being cleared to make way for a multi-million pound 'urban village' should be transported by boat, claim Quayside residents.

Ambitious plans to build 350 residencies and hi-tech business units on redundant industrial land next the Lune go before councillors on Monday.

But there are serious concerns that 44 tonne trucks making an estimated 10,000 trips along St George's Quay (one every five minutes for six months) could bring chaos to the city's traffic system.

Consultants have said it's possible for barges to take the rubble away at high tide but this option is more expensive.

But Quay residents say life will be 'hellish' if the trucks are used to clear the Luneside East site.

"Surely the council can't allow the city's historic Quayside to be used as a thoroughfare for contaminated rubble," said one resident, Geoff Woodhead.

"The traffic's terrible already.

What's it going to be like with huge trucks going back and forth all day for over six months? What effect will it have on the foundations of these historic buildings? It will be hellish."

Green councillor Jon Barry says councillors should insist on the environmentally friendly option.

"Luneside East is supposed to be a flagship environmental project," he said.

"I think that the planning committee should reflect this and make it quite clear that the developers should opt for the boat option.

The feasibility study showed that transport of material by boat is viable.

There's a lot of traffic going along the Quay and it is unacceptable for local residents to have a further 10,000 lorries containing polluted material going past their windows."

The Luneside East project will involve transporting 91,500 tonnes of contaminated rubble away from the site to special landfill areas and then bringing in a further 50,000 tonnes of building material.

This phase in development could last up to 12 months.

The boat option is estimated to cost £1 million and would involve 122 barge trips.

The road option is estimated to cost £774,000 but it is predicted that the Quay will have to be totally resurfaced at the end of the project.

Councillors are expected to give outline planning permission and ask for further investigation of the transport options.