AN angry resident has slammed proposals to build 150 properties in Westy when council flats are lying empty at Kingsway House.

Anne Heesom, of Pichael Nook, has been protesting against plans for flats and housing association homes on a contaminated former landfill site off Pichael Nook, Marsden Lane and Nook Lane in Westy.

And she is concerned that Warrington Borough Council has now launched a 'recommend a friend scheme' for residents of Kingsway House to put forward names of family and friends, who would be interesting in living in the vacant flats.

Each party involved will receive a £50 incentive once the new tenant has been in the property for six months.

Anne said: "This new scheme poses an important question: why, when the council obviously has empty flats, is it considering an application by developers to build flats and houses on a highly contaminated green open space, which is teeming with local wildlife?

"Do they think methane gas pipes sticking out of new flats would be a more attractive proposition for people moving into the area?"

Peter Mercer, head of the council's housing landlord services, said: "Kingsway House is council-owned housing. We are always looking into new ways of providing incentives to help people move into lower demand council housing and this is just one initiative, which has so far proved useful."

The outline planning application for 150 homes in Westy has not yet been finalised or approved and it is not clear exactly how many properties would be affordable housing or privately owned.

John Earle, assistant director of planning, said: "The outline planning application includes 150 units consisting of flats/mews and terraced properties and will contain private residential flats, which, if approved by the development control committee, will be sold at market value.

"The outline application has not yet been through the planning assessment process as the developers are still undertaking research to determine whether the land can be developed upon.

"Once this process is complete, planners will undertake an assessment of the submitted plans, which will take into account the demand for private housing as well as the council's affordable housing policy."