PLANS for a futuristic restaurant in a tiny courtyard have been thrown out by councillors.

The plans, for a 102-seater restaurant at Moon Corner, in Leigh Road, Leigh, had previously been described by a Leigh town councillor as a "modern train crash" and elicited laughter from both councillors and the public at the development control committee meeting.

Gwen Horrigan (Con, West Leigh) said: "In my wildest dreams, I never thought anyone would want to build on this little site.

"It is absolutely ludicrous."

Borough architect Steve Kearney had described the plan as "a brave attempt at creating a strong deconstructivist piece of architecture".

But Mrs Horrigan said: "I don't even know how to pronounce it, let alone what it means."

Alan Crystall (Lib Dem, Leigh) said: "I am amazed at anyone wanting to put a 100-seater restaurant in this position. It is total overdevelopment and it is not right for Leigh.

"We seem to be constantly told we have to have designs which are modern and contemporary, but are out of context with the area."

Mr Kearney told the committee he agreed with their views, and said he was only suggesting the developers had made an attempt to produce an acceptable design.

He said: "Our own preference would be for no development on this piece of land at all, and for it to be taken into council ownership as public open space.

"It is almost farcical in its current position. If anything would be acceptable on this site, it would need to be very carefully designed."

Nina Stimson, a nearby resident and former Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, spoke against the development as a member of the public.

She said she had concerns about what she claimed was the constant overdevelopment of Leigh and the parking problems in the area.

Mrs Stimson added: "With the large number of restaurants and licensed premises in the area, residents are already suffering problems with noise and disturbance at night."