A FIRM whose bid to build a new lorry parking area was defeated by campaigning residents says that it still wants to develop the land.

The Bury Times reported last week how residents from Whitefield Road, in Redvales, had succeeded in preventing Thumbs Up (Bury) Ltd from winning planning permission for the facility in Dumers Lane.

After raising concerns over noise from the site and a potential flood risk, the group were joined by local councillors for a demonstration outside the Town Hall before last week's planning meeting.

However, the plastic housewares manufacturer says that it will now explore new options for the site, having previously warned that there was no other viable alternative in Bury and that it may be forced to move outside the borough.

Angela Merotto, solicitor and secretary for Thumbs Up, said: "The company, whilst disappointed by the decision of the planning committee on April 19, is now considering all options available to it, which would allow the development of the land, which has been owned by the company for over 17 years, whilst having due regard to the concerns raised by residents at the planning meeting."

Residents, who last week claimed that the proposals would infringe their human rights, have vowed to fight any future plans that would impact their quality of life.

David Hanson, speaking on behalf of the community group, said: "Our concerns are clearly stated in the objections we made to the planning application and in what we said at the meeting, and we as a community stand by those.

"We will fight any proposal that jeopardises our quality of life."

Cllr Tamoor Tariq added: "I feel very strongly that the residents of Whitefield Road have had to put up with an awful lot over the years.

"It's a very quiet neighbourhood and I feel it should remain so. I'm confident that my constituents don't want to live within an industrial area and I will continue to fight alongside them to ensure they have a good quality of life."