RESIDENTS came out in force to oppose plans for the life of a Sankey Bridges tip to be extended for another 12 years.

Nearly 100 homeowners gathered at Sankey Bridges Community Centre, on Liverpool Road, last week to express their concerns over Waste Recycling Group's (WRG) application to continue using Arpley Landfill until 2025.

Clr Pat Wright said: “Residents are sick of this tip and this meeting showed that opposition to Arpley is strong and growing all the time. “Local councillors will give rock solid support to residents and will fight tooth and nail to ensure the WRG application is stopped in its tracks.”

Labour councillors for Bewsey and Whitecross Ward Pat Wright, Jeff Richards and Steve Parish have joined forces with residents groups to lead the opposition.

Nick Bent, Labour parliamentary spokesman for Warrington south also pledged his support to residents and has been co-ordinating Labour councillors across Penketh, Great Sankey and Whittle Hall to build up public support for the Stop Arpley campaign.

Opposition to the planning application was unanimous at the meeting with complaints over lorries heading to the site, smells, flies, litter and noise.

One resident at the meeting said swarms of flies from the tip were ‘sometimes so bad it’s like living inside an Eccles cake’.

Signatures on a petition are being gathered while other residents are putting up posters in their windows and encouraging neighbours to visit the campaign’s website and Facebook groups.

Councillors said they would ‘do all they can’ to support residents.

Permission to use the site runs out next year.

WRG have argued there is a need for the tip as others in the area will begin to close by 2013 and they have been working to ease concerns.

The deadline for submitting comments on the application has now been extended to the end of February.

The next meeting will be at the Marina Avenue Community Centre, Great Sankey at 7pm on February 3.

WARRINGTON south MP David Mowat has been criticised by campaigners for not sending a representative to the Stop Arpley meeting.

Mr Mowat was in London at the time of the landfill opposition meeting but resident Norman Crompton said he had been told, in writing, a representative would go on his behalf.

Nick Bent, Labour parliamentary spokesman for Warrington south, said: "Arpley Landfill is a huge issue for residents across Sankey Bridges, Penketh and Great Sankey and it's a disgrace that the local Tory MP failed to send anybody to listen to residents' concerns."

Mr Mowat said he hoped to attend the meeting but was detained in London and a member of staff could not attend in his place.

He said: “I reject entirely the notion that I am not fully supporting the campaign against the extension of the licence.”

He added he had sent an e-mail to his distribution list outlining the proposal, created an online petition on his website and had written a letter of objection himself.

Mr Mowat added: “That is real, tangible action that I am taking to help stop this extension and I’m not quite sure why Labour believe that this sort of petty political point-scoring will help the campaign.”