VILLAGERS voted unanimously to set up a charitable trust to preserve three reservoirs under threat from a developer.

At a public meeting at Central Methodist Church, Bacup, about 30 residents and two Greensclough ward councillors discussed a planning application to develop the land in Weir into 42 luxury homes.

Although the residents still object to the plan, they accepted it will probably gain permission when planners meet next Tuesday and so they agreed to set up Weir Lodges and Woodlands Trust to try to attract funding and buy the reservoirs from the developer.

They fear if the plans go ahead the developer, who is already proposing to fill in one of the reservoirs, could sell the remaining two to a private fishing club or fill them in to build extra properties.

Irwell Springs resident Geoff Law chaired the meeting and told residents there were serious concerns about a number of issues raised in the planning application which they did not feel were answered by the planning officer's comments.

He said: "The rerouting of the river through the centre of the site is also a concern.

"The culvert is in our opinion inadequate."

At the meeting a committee was elected including chairman John Glendinning, treasurer Kathleen McEvoy and legal advisor Caroline Schofield.