THE St Helens Council cabinet member for growth has claimed the "death spiral of St Helens is over" after £150m plans for a giant distribution development at Florida Farm were passed.

However, campaigners have expressed dismay at the decision to approve the plans to build on green belt land at Florida Farm near Liverpool Road, in Haydock - and there has been mounting opposition from green organisations today.

Cllr John Fulham, who sits on the planning committee and voted in favour of the development, welcomed the investment in the borough.

Councillors voted 10 to four in favour of the 1.4m sq ft development last night.

He said: "Since then we've juggled with £90m being slashed from our central Government grant - that's money we all pay to the Treasury via income tax, VAT, national insurance – it's the public's money, not the Government's.

"But we've been planning long-term as we see the potential of our borough, businesses and residents, and we know our best days are ahead, not behind us."

Cllr Fulham added: "Each planning application will always be assessed on its individual merits and Florida Farm and Bericote is the biggest investment in St Helens since the new hospital was built at Peasley Cross and the draft Local Plan represents at least £500m worth of new investment and jobs, the biggest investment in St Helens in decades."

Cllr Fulham also highlighted £500,000 investment in upgrading cycle paths along the East Lancs jobs corridor, £4m into removing congestion at Windle Island, and a bid for £5m to upgrade the Linkway A570 junction.

"Under this Labour Council the death spiral of St Helens is over, " he added.

However, the Campaign to Protect Rural England has blasted the decision to approve the Florida Farm development.

Jackie Copley, planning manager, said: “It appears there is no stopping motorway based big shed developments, irrespective of green belt protection, local objection, generation of unsustainable traffic patterns and harm to the environment.

"The cumulative impacts of similar developments in Wigan, St Helens, Chorley and Knowsley do not seem to have been fully considered.”

And Makerfield MP Yvonne Fovargue has called for the plans to be called in for a public inquiry.

She said: “The decision of St Helens Council to award planning permission must now be ‘called in’ by the Secretary of State.

"I find it extraordinary that the permission has been granted against the council’s adopted policy and I do not believe that any exceptional circumstances exist to warrant this decision. Sajid Javid must now intervene on this matter.”

The St Helens’ Green Party said they are "appalled" by the planning committee's decision and in a statement said it is “unforgivable and shows how out of touch the council has become with the people of our community.”