THE Newton and Golborne Guardian was on hand at St Peter's Church car park on Monday to gauge the reaction of residents to the updated plans for Parkside.

The Rail Freight Development might create 10,000 new jobs, according to Astral Developments' new blueprints.

But reaction to the scheme was mixed.

Ada Field, from Eastwood

Avenue said she is concerned

about the traffic implications.

She said: "We have more than enough traffic as it is.

"I will not go in because I know it is wrong and I would just get upset."

William Potts' house on Rosemary Drive backs on to the development.

He said: "We don't need this here and we don't want it - it is an aberration.

"They should build this in St Helens, not here, in a quiet little

town like Newton.

"We tried to sell our house but we had to take it off the market after 13 months - no-one in their right mind would buy it now."

But Joyce Broadfoot from Kempton Close said traffic problems could be offset by new jobs.

She said: "I think we have enough problems with traffic as it is, but if this can be solved it

could be a good thing."

Simon Spencer, director of Astral Developments, said he was pleased people understood the plans a lot better.

He said: "The response today has been much more positive and we seem to have answered people's main concerns about traffic.

"At the moment this green field is private land - with our project there will be 200 acres of publicly available space."

l What do you think?

E-mail reporter Neil Docking with your views at

ndocking@guardiangrp.co.uk