A MASSIVE extension is on the cards for one of East Lancashire's biggest factory shops.

Rossendale councillors will meet on Wednesday to discuss proposals by entrepreneur Dale Winfield to extend the Hazel Mill part of his shopping complex at Acre by 61 per cent.

Borough engineer and planning officer Philip Cunliffe is recommending approval, despite a warning that expanding Winfields could threaten Rawtenstall and Haslingden town centres and jeopardise the council's own plans to redevelop Rawtenstall.

Mr Cunliffe's 18-page report will be considered first by the council's planning sub-committee. A decision is likely to be referred to the next meeting of the engineering and planning committee next Monday.

The proposal is to extend the Hazel Mill site by 3,279 square metres - from 5,419 square metres to 8,698 square metres. Most of the extra space would be used for shopping.

The extension would be built on the site of a former mill. Plans also include turning part of the present shoe building opposite into a children's play area, reroofing and stone cladding the shoe building, building an enclosed pedestrian bridge between the shoe building and Hazel Mill and improving car parking.

Rossendale's own planning consultant has advised that the extension could threaten the "already weak" town centres of Rawtenstall and Haslingden.

He says: "Having visited the store, it seems to me that much of what is sold could be found on a traditional high street.

"These points suggest to me that there will be an effect upon the existing town centres within Rossendale."

Winfields' agents say the extension is needed if the shopping complex is to remain competitive. The company's own survey suggests that only 11 per cent of Winfields' shoppers come from Rossendale and the effect on local shops would be "negligible."

The agent's report claims: "Trade is drawn from a very wide area and notably of a weekend and forms part of the general leisure phenomenon of shopping."

In his report Mr Cunliffe points out that the proposal would create 25 new jobs - more with seasonal employment - and would improve the appearance of the site.

He is recommending approval with a number of conditions including limiting the goods sold in the new extension to clothes, shoes, floor-coverings and carpets."

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