A REPRESENTATIVE from the construction firm involved in the controversial Nelson town centre development is to be asked to appear before councillors.

The development of the Pendle Rise shopping centre by Manchester-based developers Modus has attracted criticism from residents, traders and councillors who claim shoppers are staying away from the town centre.

Now councillors on the Nelson Area Committee have issued an appeal for a representative from Barnfield Construction, the contractor working on the development, to come and answer questions at its next meeting in March.

Director of services John Kirk said the council had held two meetings with the contractor in the last month and would be having another next week. He added: "We are still having difficulties with the contractors, particularly with issues like arrangements when the market is on site.

"We discussed arrangements to move back the hoardings in front of Woolworth's which hasn't happened yet and was due to be completed a week ago."

John Clancy, chairman of the Nelson Town Centre Forum, said he had seen wagons driving up Market Street and felt the situation was "dangerous".

The £4million development, which began last September, will see part of the Place de Creil make way for new shop units.

The main entrance to the centre is currently blocked off because of the work and the council has held meetings with traders in the town centre affected by the falling numbers of shoppers.

At the last meeting of the full council, council leader Alan Davies invited traders to contact him directly to discuss their problems.

He said: "There's quite clearly a lot of people who aren't coming into Nelson town centre at the moment and I wonder how many of the independent traders will be able to stay open during this period.

"As an authority we will use whatever legislation is possible to mitigate some of the worst effects and that means we can look at the ratings system."

A representative from Barnfield Construction is also expected to attend the next meeting of the Nelson Town Centre Forum, to be held at Nelson Town Hall at 6pm on Monday.