Council anger at new Alton Towers ride

PLANS for a new £12 million ride to replace the Corkscrew at Alton Towers have sparked opposition from parish councillors.

The new attraction billed as the "world's first roller-coaster of its kind", and due to open in 2010, is to be built in the park's Ug Land.

The application for the replacement roller-coaster, erection of station buildings and associated landscaping works has been made to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council.

But Alton parish councillors have opposed the application.

Chairman Tony Moult said: "It will encroach into the woodland and be nearer to the village. Otherwise they would not have to put a planning application in."

Head of development at Alton Towers, Mark Kerrigan, said: "We did have a site visit and four of the nine parish councillors came and, of those, three were in favour.

"I would ask them to come and walk the site to see how well we have worked this."

A final decision will be made by the district council's planning applications committee next month.