ALMOST 30 homes could be demolished to pave the way for a high-level bridge across Manchester Ship Canal as part of a £150 million scheme.

The authority is considering six options to connect the A56 or A5060 Chester Road with the A562 or A57 Sankey Way in Great Sankey to tackle congestion.

Council bosses are seeking opinions from the public before submitting a bid for funding to the Department for Transport (DfT).

Each proposal would impact differently on houses and industrial units at Penketh Business Park.

A number of properties are set to be the subject of compulsory purchase orders once the preferred link road in the south-west of the town has been selected.

It would pave the way for demolition work ahead of the construction phase.

The 'yellow' route would demolish an estimated 17 homes, 'orange' route 29 homes and two business units, 'red' route 13 homes and three business units, 'purple' route 17 homes and 13 business units, 'pink' route four homes and four business units and 'green' route eight homes and 14 business units.

Great Sankey resident George McKie said: “I am very concerned that many people are going to be badly affected by these plans, with possible demolition of properties that they are living in.”

Last year, the Government granted the council £1 million for the 'initial developments' of the Warrington western link scheme, which will cost in the region of £150 million.

Four of the six routes cross both Manchester Ship Canal and the Mersey, with two passing only the Mersey.

The council was previously planning to build the structure over Manchester Ship Canal, with just one route in mind – but it has now put forward further options.

A spokesman said: "We need to demonstrate to the DfT, which is funding the development of an outline business case for the route, that we have considered a range of options.

"While the precise route shown on the previous plan is no longer being considered, a variation of it is still being explored.

"Each of the proposed route options impact a different number of houses and businesses and we're working towards giving residents and businesses certainty over the preferred route option."

The authority hopes to begin work on the three-year project in 2021.

If the bid is successful, the Government, council and private sector will jointly fund the project.

The six potential link roads avoid Moore Nature Reserve.

Two of the current options contain a section of proposed highway that would require taking some land at the southern end of Sankey Valley Park, between Old Liverpool Road and Sankey Way.

All plans would be subject to a full environmental impact assessment.

Arpley Meadows could also be affected.

Network Space, which owns Penketh Business Park, has declined to comment on the proposals.

The consultation begins on June 30 and runs until July 28.

For more information visit warrington.gov.uk/westernlink.