VALE Royal Borough Council has given its blessing for nine new brine cavities at Holford Brinefield, which could eventually be used to store gas.

ICI will drill the cavities and extract brine - 2.5 kilometres to the north of its existing brinefield.

The development will include a new pumping station, near Lach Dennis, and Cheshire County Council will now further consider the application on February 5.

The borough council's decision is without prejudice to an unpopular separate application by Scottish Power to build an underground natural gas store.

When the brine cavities have been pumped free of brine, Scottish Power wish to store around 300,000 cubic metres of gas in each during periods of low demand and then draw out supplies during peak periods.

But the Scottish Power planning application, which involves a gas processing plant and buildings at Cranage Airfield, has angered Byley villagers.

John Ratcliff, of the Byley Gas Action Group said: "We have always known that it was likely there would not be objections to the cavities from Vale Royal.

"What we are going to try and do is to get across to the planning committee our objections to the location.

"This may be without prejudice to the gas processing plant, but we still have very strong feelings against this."

Residents feel the development is inappropriate for a rural area and would bring with it unwanted extra traffic, pollution and noise.

A borough council spokesman said: "Councillors have been to a Scottish Power site near Doncaster to see a similar site in operation.

"It is expected that the planning committee will consider the application at its February meeting."