TOWN hall bosses are pressing ahead with plans to sell off part of Hoyle Park to Millers Bakery Machinery Ltd.

They have agreed in principle to the sale following weeks of consultation with residents living near the East Bury park.

Millers want to expand from their present base nearby at Chesham Fold Road, saying it will create up to 70 new jobs.

But some residents have complained, worried that they would lose their amenities.

When Bury Council purchased the land in 1930, the vendor imposed a convenant that the top half of the park would be set aside as a school playing field. However, the piece of land that Millers want is not in that area. The council did decide in 1933 to preserve the land as a public recreation ground and playing field, and not to use it for anything else without Government approval. The rules have now changed: if the council wants to use the land for another purpose, it merely has to advertise in the press and consider objections.

Millers have promised that they will not seek to build anywhere else in the park. They have also promised to pay a premium, on top of what they will give the council for the land, to fund improvements to the park.

Councillors at Tuesday's (July 24) executive committee said they had to balance the creation of local jobs with protecting local recreation facilities.

They voted to continue negotiations with Millers, and to decide later how much of the money they would receive should be spent wholly within the park.

Questions about additional parking and landscaping would be considered by the planning department.