THE £43 million Sports Village plan to transform sporting, leisure and education facilities in Leigh has cleared its first major hurdle.

At a three-and-a-half-hour special meeting to consider the scheme -- one of the most important planning applications for the town ever to go before councillors -- planners gave it unanimous backing.

Martin Kimber, Wigan's director of planning, said the plans would be a "visible and potent symbol of success and regeneration for Leigh."

In a 260-page report to councillors, he said the scheme submitted by local developers Greenbank Partnerships would be a significant boost to

regeneration of the wider Leigh area.

It could create over 2,000 jobs plus a further 400 during the build period on the five sites at Marshall Street, Atherleigh Way, Grasmere Street, Holden Road and Howe Bridge.

The major element of the project at Marshall Street and Atherleigh Way will include a 10,000 seat stadium, a new building for Wigan & Leigh College, a major public sports hall, a 400 metre running track with covered sprinting facility and field sports area, high quality commercial accommodation, a health and fitness centre and residential properties.

The applications for Grasmere Street and Atherleigh Way will have to be referred to deputy prime minister John Prescott's department, because they are judged to be at odds with the current development plan for the area.

Mr Kimber told councillors: "There is little doubt the proposal would have benefits for sport, health, educational and employment in Leigh.

"It would assist in improving the image of Leigh and mark it out as a major centre for sport and education. The campus environment and facilities for students would be substantially improved."

Developers submitted extensive supporting information about the impact of the development on traffic, the environment, air quality and Leigh town centre. Mr Kimber said that he judged the plans were sustainable: the developers had taken account of local concerns and gone a long way towards addressing them.

He described the plans as being 'entirely different' in scale and purpose to the ill-fated Xanadu 'snowdome' proposal fior the Marshall Street site, which was refused after a public inquiry four years ago.

A total of 11,000 letters of local support had been received, along with 277 initial letters of objection. English Nature weren't opposed, and Leigh Ornithological Society had withdrawn its original objections to the plans.

Planning committee chairman Cllr John O'Neill said: "This is an imaginative response to the sporting, leisure and educational needs of Leigh and the eastern part of our borough. It will provide superb facilities for local people, and the £43m investment being proposed will go a long way towards the regeneration of the town."

"A lot of hard work has been done by the developers and the scheme's backers to ensure that the sports village commands widespread support locally. As councillors we felt that the massive benefits far outweighed the genuinely held views of a relatively small number of objectors."

Cllr David Molyneux, cabinet member for regeneration and planning committee member, said: "Leigh has been waiting for this for a long, long time. It will be the jewel in its crown."

Over half the total funding for the scheme will come from the money received by selling land for the housing, shopping and office developments. The remainder will probably come from government regeneration grants, the Sports Council and an £11.4m contribution from the Learning and Skills Council for a new college building.

While the main sports village has received outright planning permission, developers stress the scheme is a complete package, and will not be financially viable if one element fails. They must now wait for a month to see whether John Prescott decides to 'call in' the plans for the office buildings and the retail warehouse.

If all goes to plan, work on site could start before the end of the year, and the scheme will take up to three years to complete.

Leigh's good Friday

WIGAN Council leader Lord Smith, a Leigh councillor himself, said: "I'm delighted. It will be the making of Leigh and give our people some of the finest facilities to be found in a town of its size anywhere in the country.

"The council has agreed to underwrite the early stages of the scheme to ensure it doesn't get delayed while waiting for grants to come through.

"What is especially pleasing is the way local community organisations, sports clubs, schools and residents have all come together to show their support for these proposals.

"Friday was a really good day for Leigh.

"We celebrated with a glass of Chardonnay - the champagne will come when we get the final go-ahead."

Thrilled with decision

Lord Smith Greenbank Partnerships, the development partner responsible for the implementation of the Leigh Sports Village project, has welcomed Wigan MBC's decision to approve the planning application for this initiative.

Chris Baybutt, Director of Greenbank Partnerships commented: "We are absolutely thrilled with the council's decision and we are very excited about developing this unique project.

"Over the last 2 years we have worked with a wide range of partners, including close liaison with the local community, to develop a viable and beneficial scheme for Leigh. We believe that the finished product will fulfil the social needs of the community and at the same time will enhance the economic regeneration of the area to make this a workable and sustainable development."

Chris concluded: "We are fully committed to the development of the Leigh Sports Village and we very much look forward to getting started on what will be such a significant project for Leigh and for the area."

The Leigh Sports Village is a multi-partner project designed to develop top class facilities for Leigh and the surrounding district. The completed scheme will include a 10,000 seat stadium, a brand new building for Wigan & Leigh College, a major public sports hall, a 400 metre running track with covered sprinting facility and field sports area, high quality commercial accommodation, a health & fitness centre and residential properties.