A COMPUTER company which has taken on more than 100 new workers since it moved to premises on the outskirts of Hyndburn wants to create more car parking space

When Micro Peripherals Ltd, moved to Altham from Clayton-le-Moors in 1997 it employed 157 people. The firm, whose head office is in Hampshire, has 260 workers and says it considers the East Lancashire site as its central logistics site for the United Kingdom.

Under new planning guidelines for commercial car parks the firm should only have 93 spaces at its site in Shorten Brook Way, Altham Business Park.

The components distribution company already has 123 spaces - and wants to create 54 more at the site, where it has warehouse space and offices. County-wide parking guidelines were introduced by Lancashire County Council in 1997 as part of a plan to discourage people from using their cars. But because of the firm's record in creating new jobs and poor public transport links to Altham, Hyndburn councillors will be recommended to approve the plan when the development services committee meets tomorrow.

A report from planning officers says the company relocated its warehouse and finance departments from Essex, creating 62 new jobs.

If the firm is to continue to consider Altham as its central logistics centre, it wants to be able to develop the site to its full potential, states the report.

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