PLANS to demolish part of an old mill and to refurbish the rest of it have been given the go-ahead despite objections from residents.

Part of Dale Mill on Burnley Road East, Waterfoot, will be knocked down while the rest of it will be split into smaller workshops and access and parking at the site will be improved.

But people living on Charles Street and Ashworth Lane objected to the plans claiming that a the proposed siting of a loading bay would increase traffic movements on the narrow streets in front of their houses. Coun Jean Hayler said: "I think if we can have this site done up it will be excellent, but the one thing that concerns me is the entrance to the loading bay.

"Residents on Charles Street feel that it is going to be detrimental not just because it is a very small road, but the entrances to Edgeside Lane and Charles Street are not suitable for large vehicles." Coun Nick Pilling, chairman of the engineering and planning committee, pointed out that the developer was adamant that the loading bay had to stay in the plans.

But Coun Peter Hayler dismissed his wife's argument and said: "The most contentious issue here is the loading bay. It is very clearly going to cause minimum traffic.

"There will be off-street parking on the site which will benefit the residents and they will have a better view from their homes of a refurbished mill." Coun James Grogan said: "If the developer decided to fence off the whole site it would come right up to the residents' back street and they would have nowhere to park.

"But the developer has promised to provide parking and I think it is the goose that laid the golden egg for us."

Councillors approved the plans subject to conditions including that car parking and landscaping of the area would be provided with each phase of the development.

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