A MEETING will be held next Friday among leading politicians and management at the BAE Systems site at Woodford to discuss its future.

Management at the plant announced a fortnight ago that the 500-acre site, which currently produces Nimrod aircraft, would close by 2012 with the loss of 630 jobs.

Since the announcement, ideas have been put forward by local politicians, which include the use of the redundant site as a possible sports park with rugby and football pitches plus a water park.

Other ideas include a mix of the brownfield site to include up to 500 new homes on land which falls into both Stockport and Cheshire East council authority areas.

According to Cheadle MP Mark Hunter, a meeting has now been organised for October 9 between BAE Systems, Hazel Grove MP Andrew Stunell, Macclesfield MP Sir Nicholas Winterton, officials from Stockport Council and East Cheshire councils.

Mr Hunter said: "I stand by my previous comments on the closure, and I remain determined that we must find the best possible long-term solution for our community.

"A public meeting has been pencilled in, but the date has yet to be confirmed."

Woodford councillor Bryan Leck, has said the public of the area should be given an opportunity to determine the future uses for the site.

Meanwhile, Ben Jeffreys, the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Cheadle, has launched a consultative exercise about the possibility of converting the runway at Woodford into a rowing lake.

The proposal has been discussed with the North West Regional Rowing Council and Kate Hodgkinson, the president of Manchester University Rowing Club.

Mr Jeffreys said: "The runway at Woodford is the ideal length for a rowing lake and I’m extremely interested by the prospect, which seems to me to provide a sustainable, long-term solution for the site.

"These plans could enable young people from Stockport and beyond to have rowing introduced into their schools, resulting in increased participation in a sport not currently well-endowed with facilities in the north west.

"What now matters is that we put the idea to the people of Woodford so that they can have their say on these plans."

Ms Hodgkinson, who met Mr Jeffreys on Monday, said: "Manchester University Boat Club is hugely excited by the possibility of developing Olympic standard rowing facilities on our doorstep.

"The proposed 2,000 metre regatta lake at Woodford would benefit local school and university students.

"If this idea can be realised, it will enhance the ability of the whole north west to produce the Olympic gold medallists of the future."