A GOVERNMENT inspector's report on whether a £70 million gas plant should be built in Byley will be finished in April.

Action group Residents Against the Plant told the Guardian last week that Bob Lyons should finish writing his report on the public inquiry by April.

Group spokesman John Edwards said: "I think he had hoped to get it written by the end of this month but there were some delays.

"It's good to know that it's up to that stage now because once it's handed over it's then just a case of the Deputy Prime Minister making the final decision."

Mr Lyons has been preparing his report over ScottishPower's plans for the former airfield in Byley since the public inquiry ended shortly before Christmas.

During the four week inquiry at the Portal Golf and Country Club in Tarporley Mr Lyons listened to evidence from ScottishPower, Vale Royal Borough Council and the action group before visiting the site of the proposed plant.

He will now hand over the report to Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State John Prescott who will make the final decision, which could take up to a year.

Last year Mr Lyons commended the protestors who fought tirelessly to stop ScottishPower's plans.

In his summing up speech at the inquiry he told them that their case was the most substantial case presented by a third party that he had witnessed.