PLANS for a multi-million rail freight development at the former Parkside Colliery site go on display in Winwick today.

Astral Developments' masterplan will be shown at Winwick Leisure Centre, on Myddleton Lane, from 11am to 7pm.

According to the updated proposal the development could create 10,000 new jobs.

A new motorway junction 22 would be built, providing a direct link to the motorway for all Parkside traffic.

The A49/A579 would 'free flow' over the motorway between the Winwick Bypass and Lowton, allowing local traffic to bypass the site.

An extended countryside park would be incorporated into the scheme on its eastern boundary and at Hermitage Green.

And a public transport scheme based around Newton Station would see the station upgraded and a new bus service introduced.

John Holmes, development agent, said: "We are really just explaining the changes we have made following the concerns people made to us last time.

"I think we have gone as far as we possibly could to address these problems."

The developers believe at least 75 per cent of any jobs created would be new to the area and not 're-locations'.

Mr Holmes added: "People seemed nervous about the level of employment that we felt we could guarantee.

"Following analysis of research carried out by the University of Reading and the Cranfield Institute of Technology, and using empirical evidence from Daventry Rail Freight Terminal, we now believe we will be producing something like 10,000 jobs which is significantly more than we initially thought.

"Our estimates in the past appear to have been too conservative - although we cannot be absolutely sure."

The blueprints can also be seen tomorrow at Lowton Civic Hall car park on Hesketh Meadow Lane, from 11am to 7pm.