PENDLE Council has blocked its own plans to transform the site of a historic Cinema in Nelson.

The £1.7 million redevelopment project for the former Grand Cinema has been put on hold by councillors who accused their own officers of not providing enough detail.

The application would see the Grand revolutionised into an office, retail and leisure complex.

But members of the council's Nelson Committee have decided to defer the outline planning application until they can get more information about the intentions for the site.

Councillors raised concerns about the lack of information for a 500-employee office block, a cinema and 28 parking spaces. The town centre site is bordered by Market Street, Cross Street, Russell Street and Back Scotland Road.

John Clancy, Town Centre Forum Chairman for Nelson said he was disgusted when he saw the application.

The co-opted committee member said: "It seems to me this is a daft application. What we should be looking at is a much more detailed application.

"We really need to know what the council owns, what is still to be bought and have all the notices been served?

"I think the application should be more detailed."

The cinema was built in 1888 and became a nightclub before it burned down three years ago. In January the council's Executive agreed compulsory purchase orders for some of the buildings on the site.

Coun Mahboob Ahmed said: "This is an important application for the whole of Pendle.

"I think it is important for us all to look at these issues. I would like to move that we defer this application."