PLANS for a public park on the site of the railway which used to serve Padiham power station are being held up.

Councillors were told progress was being hampered by a lack of response from Railtrack who still own the line.

Burnley Council has made £15,000 available for a feasibility study and set aside £90,000 from a £150,000 capital allocation for schemes to help regeneration in Padiham.

Council director David Brown told members of the executive that in June it had been agreed that a structural assessment should be carried out before a full feasibility study was done.

The council's engineering services had carried out an initial survey but needed sight of Railtrack's structural surveys was considered essential.

Mr Brown added: "despite reminders and letters from MP Peter Pike Railtrack has failed to provide the necessary survey information."

Railtrack has responded on the issue of closure of the line suggesting that the council should write to English Welsh and Scottish Railways Limited to confirm they had no objection.

The council and Mr Pike had both written and were waiting for a reply.

Coun Roger Frost commented; "I am concerned it may not come to anything at all because of Railtrack and the problems they are in."

He asked for the matter to be clarified: "with some vigour".

Railtrack are again to be asked to respond.

The unused line is not needed as a freight carrier to the Shuttleworth Mead industrial site on the former power station land.