COUNCILLOR Peter Clarke (Letters, August 5) may be chairman of Hyndburn Council's Economic Development Board, but this does not make him all-knowing and an authority on urban development.

I know the reality of Great Harwood's decline is the loss of industry. What I was bringing to the public's notice (Letters, July 27) was the serious lack of investment in the town itself.

I would point out that the recent investment on the Heyes Lane industrial area was the direct result of Hyndburn Labour policies, which had already been initiated and Coun Peter Britcliffe has already stated that he is keeping to those policies for the first year of the Tories' leadership.

If Coun Clarke travels around East Lancashire and notices the centres of most of our smaller towns, he will see the same dereliction of small shops and the survey would tell him that supermarkets on the outskirts attract people away from the urban area.

The larger towns like Blackburn are recognising this and have already revitalised the central shopping area to attract the customer back to the town itself.

The decline in this country was through the lack of foresight of the previous government during the boom and bust period of greedy speculation, selling off public utilities, equity mortgages and the failure to reinvest in the industrial areas.

It was only through the successful innovation of John Walsh, of Great Harwood, that we have the larger mills housing small industrial units under one roof and I will admit that we should have invested more into the likes of the Albert Mill. When I referred to the 'dogs' toilet,' I was emphasising that the problem, with all our recreation areas - the Memorial playing fields, the recreation ground and Waverledge playing fields - have become the target of inconsiderate people who drive to these areas with their pets and allow them to defecate indiscriminately where our children play.

We have been trying to develop most of our recreational areas through lottery bids, but our problem does not seem to be as important as the inner cities and funding these projects is the major problem.

I hope that a positive decision can be made before September about the Safeway supermarket proposal in Great Harwood and that delay will not compromise the added choice of better nursery facilities and the bonus of 200 jobs in the locality.

I suggest Coun Clarke writes to Kirkham Chamber of Trade and learns how they have benefited from Safeways.

DAVID FORSHAW, James Street, Great Harwood.

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