CHESHIRE County Council has given a 700,000-tonne gas storage plant at Stublach Grange Farm near Lach Dennis the thumbs up.

Members yesterday granted planning permission subject to the Secretary of State deciding not to call in the application, submitted by Ineos Enterprises.

The 475-hectare development will be off Drakelow Lane, while there will be a processing facility about 2km from E.ON UK's smaller operation at Byley, given the go-ahead last year.

John Halstead of Residents Against the Plant (RAP), who campaigned against the Byley application, which councillors opposed until overruled by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, attended yesterday's meeting and was dismayed at the decision.

He said: 'We don't mind losing in a fair fight, one in which strong arguments in favour have been presented by the other side, but this is very surprising. Two councillors spoke strongly to reject the proposal as they said their prime duty was to the people of Cheshire, but the rest voted in favour even though they had opposed a much smaller plant just months before.

'The impression we got was that they have almost given up after Byley and don't want to have to explain to the Government again why they have turned something down only to be told it will go ahead anyway.'

Members of the Council's Development Regulatory Committee studied a 30-page report and chairman Steve Wilkinson said after the meeting: 'Members felt that the need for gas storage had been more clearly identified than when considering the Byley application and felt that it was more important than all other planning considerations.'

During construction, about 120 people will be employed. Once the facility is operational a staff of 20 will monitor operations.