Proposals for the huge 73-acre project on the Farington Estate were on display at Farington Lodge, with residents grilling experts about how the scheme will affect them.

The event is part of the protracted planning process, with developers Brackenhouse Properties hoping to submit an official application in January 2009.

The land, which runs from Bispham Avenue in the north, to Hall Lane in the south and The Oaks development off Wheelton Lane in the east, was bought in 2004 after originally being earmarked for expansion for Leyland Motor Works.

One of the obstacles needing to be overcome for any development is the contamination of the soil because the majority of the land was used for tipping sand from the former foundry.

Ritchie Watson, director of Brackenhouse Properties, explained: "This is an exciting development for our company. It is an opportunity to bring forward one of the largest undeveloped sites on the Lancashire Business Park.

"Since we acquired the site in 2004, we have been working up our proposals. We are now at the stage where we can share these plans with the council and the community.

"We recognise that the economy is currently experiencing difficulties, but we wish to use this time to develop our plans for the site and to be ready to bring the land forward as soon as it is needed."

Joan Langford, of Stanifield Lane, attended the public exhibition 'wearing two hats' as a Farington resident and a local historian.

She said: "My main concern is the preservation of the 200-year-old Farington Hall in the centre of the site.

"There are so many empty employment spaces at the moment and empty new houses, yet we could be losing historic rights of way under all this concrete and tarmac."

The developers have previously likened the proposals to a 'mini-Buckshaw Village' and have recruited the expertise of consultant landscape architect, David Toft, who designed the award-winning infrastructure of Buckshaw Village.