COMMUNITY leaders have reacted with shock after chemical giant Ineos unveiled plans to build a massive gas storage plant on the outskirts of Northwich.

Ineos Enterprises has announced its intention to use Holford Brinefields, between Lach Dennis and Byley, to store gas, with a transmission station at Stublach Grange Farm.

The company says the development is necessary to reduce the UK's reliance on the importation of gas - but community leaders say it shouldn't be there, particularly after a plant at Byley was approved earlier this year despite massive opposition.

Vale Royal Cllr Mark Stocks, who lives in Byley, said: 'I am surprised and disappointed a large development like this is being planned in the local area, and about the possible environmental implications.

'I am deeply concerned about the potential size of the proposed development - it looks like it is significantly larger than the one that has gone ahead at Byley.

'The huge amount of public interest generated by the ScottishPower application shows there is great concern about these sort of proposals. I don't doubt there may be a need to have gas storage facilities in the UK, but there are other, more cost-effective facilities that could and should be utilised.'

Northwich East Cty Cllr George Mainwaring added: 'It really would be a nail in the coffin of the Northwich Vision. Who would want to invest in a town that has an incinerator and not one but two gas plants a stone's throw away?

'Even though the gas would be stored underground, the compression station would be about the size of a football field, and it's hard to hide that with trees. And because it will be working at high pressure, there is always going to be a risk, and of course there's all the extra traffic that will be generated.

'The problem is the fear factor of having two storage units within a mile-and-a-half of each other.

'And we are leaving a legacy for generations to come, we may not see the problems in our lifetime but what about our younger generations?'

Members of Lach Dennis Parish Council are planning an urgent meeting to discuss their response. Councillor Ray Blake said: 'I don't think anyone around here has heard anything about the proposal, so we need to find out exactly what is planned and where before we decide what stance to take.

'We supported Byley Parish Council in its fight against the gas plant at RAF Cranage, but in the end John Prescott just bulldozed it through against the will of the people.'

And Cllr Jean Groom, chairwoman of Rudheath Parish Council, said: 'It's just going from bad to worse, from the incinerator to the damage that ICI has left and now this - Northwich is becoming a dumping ground.

'I know that the residents' reaction will be that they do not want it. They are up in arms about the incinerator.

'We are looking to the future with the regeneration of Northwich and it makes you despair when people want to do this, it may well make people not want to come to the town because of it.'