A COMPANY that wants to build a huge gas plant in Byley this week finished putting its case across to a Government inspector.

On Thursday, a ScottishPower spokesman said the company was confident the evidence it had submitted to the inquiry would show inspector Bob Lyons that the £70 million plant should be built on a former airfield.

He said: "A thorough case was put forward by ScottishPower on safety and this stood fast under cross examination.

"It showed that this gas storage facility is perfectly safe and that this type of storage is common across the whole of Europe."

Expert witnesses gave evidence in support of the power giant in week three of the inquiry at the Portal Golf and Country Club, in Tarporley, covering issues such as safety, environment, noise, traffic and landscape issues.

But the company revealed it was disappointed to see the numbers of residents attending the inquiry dwindle.

"We were surprised so few residents attended to hear the evidence particularly on safety which has been portrayed as a local concern," he said.

On Friday, protest groups Councils Against the Plant (CAP) and Residents Against the Plant, (RAP) started to put their case across and will continue this week at a new venue - County Hall, in Chester.

Last night, Tuesday, hundreds of residents were expected to attend a public meeting with the inquiry inspector at Byley Village Hall.

ssmith@guardiangrp.co.uk