FURIOUS Winsford residents have started a petition against proposals to build a waste disposal site near to homes, schools and a medical centre.

Although Cheshire County Council has not yet submitted a planning application for the site at Woodford Park, residents are concerned it is the preferred location.

The action group Woodford Against Site Tipping for the Environment (WASTE) has now set up a petition in an effort to stop the proposals from becoming a reality.

Lisa Bennett, chairman of WASTE, said: "The council is gunning for that area but we are determined it won't happen.

"We have got together to organise this petition to show the council how much opposition there is to this."

Residents are appalled that the council is considering building a waste site near to homes, schools and a medical centre.

Doris Woodward, of Woodford Cottages, said: "We are all dead against it and opposition is growing as more people are made aware of it.

"The more I think about it the angrier I get because it will affect our quality of life as well as the health issues."

The proposed site for the waste tip is near to Winsford Neuromuscular Centre.

Sarah Kelly, centre director, said: "I don't want to comment too much at this stage as we don't have many details from the council. But we wouldn't want it to be built near to our centre especially as there is Hebden Green special school nearby."

A spokeswoman for Cheshire County Council said the proposals are only one option in the Replacement Waste Local Plan. She said: "We have written to everyone who made representations to us and told them that the plan is available on the internet or also at libraries.

"If any change is made there will be another round of public consultation.

"After that a public inquiry would take place and we envisage that would be late next year."

phennessey@guardiangrp.co.uk