CONCERNED residents are taking a stand against plans to build 140 homes on the site of a paper mill in Bury.

Householders claim that proposals for a housing estate at Olive's Paper Mill in Woolfold will take away valuable recreation land and create traffic chaos.

The Tottington Road factory, which is surrounded by trees and grass, is earmarked for demolition. Its bosses say that the mill, which produces packaging and cardboard, is no longer viable.

But residents say the development will take away the last stretch of green space along a busy main road and spell the end for badgers, bats and frogs on the site.

Mr Gary Hodgson, of Tottington Road, said: "They're already building on other parts of the Kirklees Valley, now it looks as though they want to take it all.

"The land around the mill is covered by trees, and people from Woolfold and the surrounding areas use it for walking and watching wildlife.

"I agree that people have to live somewhere, but to take the last bit of green means that it is not going to be a nice place to live.

"The road is already so dangerous and busy that that if this happens the traffic will be horrendous. There will be no way to cross the road."

Residents have gathered a 150-name petition, and have enlisted the support of ward councillors Denise Bigg and Yvonne Creswell.

The 163-year-old mill went into temporary receivership ten years ago and was bought by Activecraft. It has since operated on low output and the firm says it can no longer operate competitively.

A notice for the application has been advertised in the Bury Times, but formal letters have yet to be sent to nearby homes.

Planners say proposals need to be finalised before being put before councillors, and were due to meet developers Belway Homes yesterday.

The plans are expected to include an offer to make Bury Council the custodian of open land, for leisure and wildlife, to the north of the site.

Land may also be provided for a cycle route, and the development would allow land to be decontaminated following its industrial use.

Senior planning officer Adrian Harding said: "The developer will have to provide evidence that there is no need for employment and that they cannot get a buyer to take over the site for development purposes."

Mr Harding added that a study of the traffic impact would have to be carried out.

He said: "It is a trade-off between the number of extra car movements and the number of extra articulated wagons that could use the site without planning permission."