PLANS to turn back the clock in a town centre have hit an 11th hour snag.

Councillors meet tonight to decide on plans to restore the Victorian heritage of Bank Street, Rawtenstall's main shopping street.

The scheme would involve uncovering the original Victorian cobbles and restoring the stone flag pavements.

But Rossendale Council's policy committee was told a review of the cost of the scheme had shown the council's contribution to be 30 per cent higher than anticipated.

The news could put the lid on the plan which has already run into controversy.

At a public meeting many people who remembered the old cobbled street were vehemently against bringing it back.

A poll of local people showed 55 per cent against restoring the original cobbles. The plan depends on a Heritage Lottery grant of £220,000.

The council's contribution was originally put at £65,000, but chief executive Steven Hartley told councillors a review of the costs had now put it at £85,000.

He told councillors: "You must decide whether you can afford it.

"If you can, is that the sort of thing you want to spend your money on."

Council leader John McManus said one solution could be to uncover a smaller section of the cobbles, leaving the area round the 1960s Valley shopping centre surfaced with existing materials.

The council could scrap the scheme altogether or find the extra £20,000.

But the hard-pressed authority could have trouble digging any deeper into its coffers.

Coun McManus added: "The council might say £65,000 and not a penny more."

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