ATHERTON residents are celebrating after plans to build a new town centre police station have been given the final approval.

The new station, to be funded by the government's Private Funding Initiative, will be built on school playing fields at the corner of Flapper Fold Lane and Gloucester Street, close to the fire station.

The proposals were given the thumbs up by the council's planning department in January, but, since the proposed site belongs to Meadowbank Primary School, the education department also had to agree. Approval has now been given and building work is expected to begin within the next 12 months.

The new station will replace the existing inadequate one on Bag Lane and will be a modern one-storey building with a dome-shaped roof. Like Leigh, there will be a public counter, enabling locals to call in and see police in person, it will also have a public car park.

Atherton councillor Susan Loudon has been actively campaigning for the new station, she said: "This is something we want and need in Atherton. At the moment the police are working from Leigh, but having our own station will greatly improve the response time to incidents here. More police in the area will help people feel safer."

Leigh sub-divisional police commander Superintendent Mary Boylan said: "It's fantastic news and I am looking forward to future plans very much."

"This development will free up space at the Leigh station and will put more police on the streets of Atherton, it will increase response time and will provide better police facilities for the area."

As part of the agreement to use the Meadowbank playing field Wigan Council will receive an added bonus of £90,000 from Greater Manchester Police to boost sports development on the remainder of the site.

Cllr Loudon said: "Not only will we get a new police station, but that particular area will also benefit from further development on the fields. The £90,000 means we could apply for Lottery funding which could lead to even bigger improvements."

Local MP Andy Burnham wrote to the minister urging her to give the go ahead to the plans and is delighted with the outcome: "It is a win win situation for the whole community. Not only will it bring a brand new police station it will provide better play and recreation facilities for Atherton."