ANGRY councillors have criticised a developer over the "dangerous" condition of a site earmarked for a multi-million pound retail park.

A delay in work starting on the £5 million scheme to build retail and business units on the former Smith and Nephew Stonebridge Mill site, North Valley Road, Colne, has allowed the area to become increasingly dangerous and untidy, councillors claimed.

Outline plans for the site were lodged with Pendle Council in August 1996 and after lengthy discussion they were passed just over a year later.

But the site, which contains an open culvert, is still rubble-strewn and derelict with no sign of any building work on the proposed car showroom, diner and business units starting in the near future.

Worried councillors have called for an urgent meeting with developers Gregory Properties to tackle bosses about the site and its future. The firm has already arranged a meeting with council officers this week to discuss the project which, it said, was progressing. Councillor Tim Ormrod said the site looked like something from the Blitz. "It really is a disgrace on the town," he said. "There are thousands of people who look at the site every day and we can't be proud of having that particular eyesore."

Councillor Gill Gilhespy stormed: "Parts of the pavement alongside the site are breaking away making it dangerous to walk near the edge. The culvert is open to any children to go into it. We're approaching the summer holidays and children are going to be playing on there.

"It's become a positive hazard as well as an eyesore."

Barry Gregory, managing director of Gregory Properties, admitted: "It has taken longer than we anticipated. We thought the lure of passing traffic would pull in tenants faster than was the case.

"We have got a few tenants now and we're making progress. We have to get the tenants in place because their requirements are quite specific."

Mr Gregory said the company had twice cleared illegally dumped rubbish from the site. "If people want to get in they will do," he said.

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