THE future of Ashton Gardens Institute is still undecided this week as the council considers an offer to purchase the land from the St Annes-based developers Newfield Jones Homes.

Planning chief for the area Paul Drinnan explained: "To my understanding a request has been received from Newfield Jones Homes regarding the sale of the institute," he said.

"However nothing has been decided yet and there are still enquiries to be carried out regarding the value of the land."

Meanwhile the Supporters of Ashton Gardens Group (SOAG) is certainly not silently waiting for an answer. Instead they have organised a public meeting about the sale of the institute and gardens to take place on October 30.

The meeting will be held in The United Reformed Church Hall, on St George's Road, St Annes, at 7.30pm. All the councillors will be invited along with representatives for Newfield Jones Homes -- including the managing director John Hayfield himself.

They will be encouraged to air their views and opinions regarding this sensitive issue.

Chairman for the SOAG John Andrews added: "Coun Barbara Padgett is to open the meeting as she was denied a voice at the last full council meeting and she is going to say what she was going to say then."

Meanwhile the protest over the plans has spread worldwide. The Citizen this week received a letter from a former St Annes man in Melbourne, Australia, expressing his dismay.