MP Chris Green is asking residents to make their feelings known about plans to build a metal scrapyard in Atherton.

Proposals to move Maxilead Limited’s base from Tyldesley to land north of Chanters Industrial Estate were approved by Wigan Council’s planning committee in January but the Secretary of State Sajid Javid has agreed to consider the move.

Mr Green co-hosted a public meeting with Cllr Karen Aldred in February where around 100 residents attended and only two people, from the same address, said they had received letters about the plans.

The level of noise and volume of traffic were two of the concerns raised on the night.

Chris Green said: “Residents are rightly angry that Wigan Council have approved a green field development which will see huge lorries filled with scrap metal thundering through the streets of Atherton.

“I urge all residents to write to the Secretary of State highlighting their concerns especially of the secretive way in which the council has acted and the pollution this will bring to our town.”

Wigan Council has defended its handling of the development and responded with key dates and information surrounding the move.

A spokesman for Wigan Council said: "The application was submitted on March 20, 2017 and subject to two rounds of public consultation involving 65 individual neighbour letters, three site notices and a press notice.

"The letters were sent out on the March 21, 2017 and September 6, 2017, respectively, and the press notice was published on the March 30, 2017.

"The site notices were posted on the April 3.

"Those people that objected were notified of the Planning Committee meeting on the January 8, 2018.

"A planning committee is a public meeting which members of the public and the press can attend."