COUNCILLORS in Colne decide the fate of North Valley Road tonight (Thursday),.

A development company is offering a £60,000 package as part of a deal for permission to build a massive shopping and industry park alongside a car showroom and a fast-food takeaway on the site of the old Smith and Nephews mill.

Town hall bosses fear that if they do not give the go ahead the developers will get approval on appeal to the Department of the Environment or, worse still, sell the land to a supermarket chain and devastate local trade in the town centre.

The chairman of the area committee, Councillor Tony Greaves, led negotiations with the developers. He says the current scheme is an improvement on the original, but still has drawbacks. Changes include a bigger area for industry and fewer retail outlets. The planning agreement covers landscaping and road works costs.

If the project goes ahead the main entrance will be opposite Hanover Street.

Transport experts say the only way to ease congestion on the already busy road will be to prevent traffic turning right from North Valley into Windy Bank, North Street and Talbot Street and from North Street and Talbot Street into North Valley Road.

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