A NEW community arts centre and office complex which could create 300 jobs has been given the go-ahead to open in Nelson.

The new centre, on the site of the former Lambert's market and Salvation Army citadel, was granted planning permission by Pendle Council's Nelson Committee.

Senior Liberal Democrat Councillor Tony Greaves told the committee that Nelson people "should be shouting from the rooftops" to welcome a "quality building".

The four-storey building is set to house a community centre, theatre, cinema, recording studio and function rooms as well as office space providing around 300 jobs.

It will be built buy the new joint venture which is being set up between Pendle Council and Barnfield Construction, using investment from the building company and from selling off old council buildings such as the Silverman Hall.

But Nicholas Emery, of Nelson's town centre partnership, told the meeting that the 182-seat theatre would be too small to make an impact, while studios would be "unnecessary".

Couns Gary Rowland and Mohammad Iqbal said the lack of parking space could mean centre users leaving cars on the surrounding residential streets.

Coun Greaves said the final details of what would be in the centre still had to be arranged, and that they could be adjusted as needs changed in the future because it is designed with no load-bearing internal walls.

He said he too was concerned about lack of parking space, particularly for workers during the day, but that Pendle had to adhere to Lancashire County Council's parking provision policy, which limits the number allowed for new buildings to encourage greater public transport uptake.

He said: "We are all in the trap set by the county council that will not allow proper parking for new buildings like this. It's ridiculous but it's their policy and that's what we have to do."

Building work is set to start on the centre at the beginning of next year.

Coun Nadeem Ahmed said: "I hope this will be the first of many projects delivered by the joint venture company and it will help reverse the decline in Nelson town centre and bring it back to life."