A BURY bakery equipment company is poised to get the go-ahead to buy a strip of parkland to expand its business and to create more jobs.

And if approval is given for Miller's Bakery Machinery to purchase the land in Hoyle Park, it will bring to an end many months of controversy which has surrounded the issue.

A recommendation is to go forward to Bury Council's executive committee next week that the terms and conditions for the sale, thrashed out between company bosses and the local authority, be accepted.

If endorsed, it will disappoint many local residents who had vigorously opposed the sell-off plan.

But Miller's stress the sale of the land is crucial in allowing them to expand their present Chesham Fold Road factory after securing new contracts.

Earlier, the business had warned that 30 workers would be made redundant before Christmas if the company's bid to buy the land was rejected. Miller's want to transform the overgrown strip of Hoyle Park ground to create extra production space and a wagon turning area. The company also plans to increase its workforce.

At Tuesday's (Sept 11) meeting of Bury East area board, held at Derby High School, chairman Councillor Trevor Holt said the response to a wide-ranging public consultation exercise, including meetings and an exhibition, had been "excellent."

He added: "We then asked our officers to get together with Miller's to see what could be arranged and worked out.

"Discussions have taken place and a recommendation will go to the executive committee which will have the ultimate decision."

Council leader John Byrne indicated that the recommendation would be that the terms and conditions for the proposed sale of the land be accepted.

Defending this stance, Councillor Mike Connolly said: "We are talking about a piece of scrub land that is used as a dogs' toilet."

And commenting on its future, he went on: "It will be used for the benefit of the people of Bury and visitors to the park."

Highlighting the long saga which the sell-off plan had generated, Coun Holt continued: "This has been one of the most interesting and stimulating debates I have ever taken part in and I hope our decision will be an honourable one."