A SCHEME to incorporate a bank branch into the new Morrisons superstore about to open in Nelson has fallen foul of planners, who are concerned about the number of empty shops in the town centre.

One in five shops is unused and Pendle Council's senior planning officer Andy Wiggett said he feared that, if the new branch opens, the Midland Bank could close its current branch in Manchester Road. The bank, at the time it put in its application to convert what would have been a concessionary shop unit, said it had no plans to close its town centre offices.

"There are no plans to reduce the level of service at our existing Nelson branch," a spokesman said.

But in a report to the council's Nelson area committee, Mr Wiggett said: "The council must consider the effect of allowing a bank in a store which is not within the town centre, although it is an edge-of-centre location.

"The concern is that an established bank in the centre of Nelson will close at the expense of the facility being located in the superstore."

Mr Wiggett said he was concerned at the number of empty shops in the town. Planning permission for the store, which is due to open a week on Monday, was granted 12 months ago on condition that it is a foodstore only used by one operator and not sub-divided into units. Mr Wiggett recommends the area committee refuse planning permission for the branch on Monday on the grounds that it goes against the planning conditions and could adversely affect the council's £1 million redevelopment strategy for the town centre.

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