PLANS for an industry and shopping complex on North Valley Road in Colne look set to go back on the drawing board.

Gregory Developments want to build the complex on the site of the recently cleared Stonebridge Mill and has come up with some new ideas.

Colne councillors are expected to tell the firm to re-submit its plans when they meet tonight (Thursday).

It will probably be at least March before any decision is made.

Initially, the idea was to have five retail outlets, with household names such as Halfords and Great Mills, a carpet store, electrical goods company, a garden centre and DIY store as well as car showroom, drive through fast food, possibly McDonalds, industrial units and a car wash.

Pendle planning bosses have been in talks with the firm since December after Colne councillors came up with a series of questions about the impact of the scheme.

The firm employed its own highways expert to overcome opposition about traffic on North Valley Road.

The new plan being suggested moves the main entrance to the site from opposite Talbot Street to opposite Hanover Street.

The revised drawing, yet to be formally re-submitted as a planning application, show several other changes.

There is less floor space for shops and nearly half as much room allocated for industrial units.

Talks are still going on with the County Surveyor about coping with the amount of queuing traffic and the idea of banning vehicles from turning right from North Valley Road into Windy Bank.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.