EMPTY and derelict, the barren land surrounding the former Parkside Colliery site has been laying dormant since the colliery closed.

But under plans by Astral Developments the 672 acres of land that straddles the M6 will be turned into a rail freight distribution centre that would see major changes to the motorway network through Warrington.

Chief among the plans for the site include the expansion of the M6 northbound carriage to four lanes up to a new junction 22, which would be moved to the development from it’s current Winwick location.

Campaigners in favour of the development say that it could bring up to 10,000 new jobs, but objectors from groups including Parkside Action Group (PAG)contest those figures and say that instead it would bring more road misery for people travelling on both the motorway and surrounding roads.

Since 2006 planners at both Warrington and St Helens councils have been evaluating the plans and Wigan Metropolitan Council have already objected to the plans for the impact the traffic would have on it’s roads.

Two and a half years later the developers hope to see the plans being discussed by the council.

John Holmes, from Astral Developments, said: “We expected the application to take some considerable time, the issues are complex and major.”

“We are now getting very close to the stage that the consideration by the councils are looking to be made.”

PAG are currently fighting the proposal on two fronts, with a Local Development Framework draft by St Helens Council proposing to take the bulk of the site out of green belt protection.

Dave Tyas, chairman of the group said: “The general message we get is they are still looking at it and there are more issues.

The site had recently joined Omega on a list of developments being considered by the Government for their now defunct Titan prisons.

But the developers say they knew nothing of the Government interested.

Developers are not expecting to get on site any time in the near future should planning permission be granted and despite the economic downturn believe the advance in interest in rail-freight distribution will help to make the site an attractive prospect for companies.

“If the economy hasn’t recovered in that time we would be surprised and nervous,” added Mr Holmes.

But the economic impact on towns like Warrington could affect the scheme say PAG.

They site West Lancashire District Council who oppose Parkside because a number of distribution centres based in Skelmersdale could relocate to the site.

Mr Tyas added: “It is competitive to Omega and I’m sure Warrington council realise this.”

But for now the future of the development is far from decided with residents and developers alike still waiting to get to the planning stage.