OUTLINE plans have been approved for a vet's surgery on land at the centre of a "tug of war" planning battle.

Councillors have agreed planning permission to Stanley House Veterinary Surgery to build the animal centre on council-owned land in Crown Way, Colne.

Stanley House will now have to come back with more detailed plans.

A rival bid by burger giant McDonald's to build a drive-through restaurant on the same site will not be decided until next September during a two-day public inquiry.

McDonald's appealed against Pendle Council for not deciding its application within the set time limit.

Coun Tony Greaves said McDonald's was offered a date for the inquiry in February but it was turned down.

The council's Liberal-controlled Colne area committee has made it clear it backs residents' opposition to the restaurant plans.

They claim it would mean thousands of extra cars a day using a nearby road junction which was already overloaded and which will get worse when the M65 extension to the M6 is completed.

It is now possible the vets surgery could be being built or even completed by the time the McDonald's inquiry is held.

Stanley House already has a surgery in Albert Road, Colne, but wants to expand its services on the new site.

The council is waiting for a decision from the government on whether it can sell the land to the vets.

It is obligated to get as much as possible from the sale of assets and while Stanley House has offered £90,000 for the land, McDonald's is prepared to pay £200,000.

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