EASTHAM Village Preservation Association is fighting plans for the creation of a karting circuit on green belt land at the former Hooton airfield.

Association members fear the operation will be noisy and that enthusiasts will travel through the village to gain access to the complex.

Planners claim that the Karting circuit and associated buildings would not harm the street scene significantly, nor damage the character of the green belt.

The area set aside for the track is already heavily tarmaced as a consequence of its former use as an airfield.

The diamond-shaped site - measuring 425 metres by 405 metres - is enclosed to the south by Vauxhall Motors and to the north by Eastham Oil Refinery. To the south east lies the M53 motorway.

Karting is classified as outdoor sports and leisure in planning regulations, which is an acceptable use of green belt land.

The proposed buildings are sleek one-storey contemporary structures which, planners say, would not create a visually obtrusive feature in the green belt.

The observations of Ellesmere Port and Neston Council will be studied by Wirral planning committee tomorrow night, Thursday.

Subject to the neighbouring authority raising no objections or further representations being lodged the scheme has been recommended for approval.