A £19 million development of the former Padiham power station site into a major business park which could create 500 new jobs could get the green light tomorrow.

The 73-acre Shuttleworth Mead project could get the go-ahead from the Government for a £2.3 million bid for European funding - a green light which would trigger a £15 million cash injection from private sector developers.

The council-led project would, if it gets approval, bring jobs joy to Burnley, with experts assessing that nearly half the jobs created would go to people in the Barclay, Bank Hall, Brunshaw, Burnley Wood, Coal Clough, Daneshouse and Trinity areas.

Job creation agency, English Partnerships has expressed "strong interest" in supporting the project and could give its own £1.6 million backing, says a report to the council's economic and property committee.

Burnley council, which will back the scheme with a Challenge Fund grant, is poised to appoint a project manager for the re-development within weeks.

Key partners in the development have been named as Ribble Industrial Estates, Barnfield Construction Ltd of Nelson, National Power, the owners of the site, Burnley council and English Partnerships.

The bid is one of 22 submitted in the North West and a report to councillors says a maximum of 12 bids will be supported with grant aid in the region.

Burnley Council decided to press ahead for early development of the industrial site even though success may result in the town getting a cash penalty for not reaching an important job-creation target.

Council policy chiefs say the former power station could create direct competition to Network 65, the Accrington Road business park in its early stages of development.

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