BOAT yard owner Paul Lorenz is fighting to save Leigh's historic Bedford Basin from house developers.

Owners and the Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs have backed his objections to plans to build 51 apartments including an access road, car parking, landscaping and boundary treatment in Derby Street, Leigh.

Mr Lorenz, who runs Lorenz Canal Services, and rescued the basin from dereliction, has lived on site for 27 years and is calling for it to remain an industrial area.

He feels residential development will cause conflict with existing industrial users, threaten secure moorings, be a danger to children, cause litter and dumping and create excess traffic.

He said: "Bedford Basin has been part of Leigh's heritage since 1857. We feel this site is not appropriate for the development. Neighbouring factories work seven day weeks, 24 hour days with the expected noises and vibrations of pressing metal.

"The boatyard is one of few places where alterations and renovations to historic and modern boats take place. This means that noise occurs through the week, moreso at weekends and in the evenings when private owners work on their restorations.

"If people move here they should not come and live opposite and then complain."

"As far as safety is concerned in 1994 a child cycled into the canal from the towpath opposite the basin and was drowned while in 1997 my wife Gabrielle dived in to save a three year old who had also fallen in.

For the AWCC Keith Noble said: "To provide a residential area alongside the industry of the basin would produce a situation that would suit neither section of society."

Boat owner, Mr C B Grundy, of Shrewsbury, who moors at the basin, said: "If the development is permitted there is a very real danger that the character of the area and basin in particular will be destroyed."

A council spokesman said members of development control committee will visit the site next Tuesday morning before discussing the application at its meeting at Wigan Town Hall in the afternoon.