A COMPANY says it will appeal after councillors turned down a request for a new access road and staff car park.

Residents were against the plan by Darwen plastic moulding firm Weltonhurst on the grounds of highway safety.

And councillors on the planning and highways sub-committee said they had no choice but to refuse the application.

The company wanted to build a car park for 30 staff vehicles on land at the rear of Bottomcroft Mill in Blackburn Road and to access the site from Avondale Road and a nearby un-named side street.

They also wanted to use the access for two 38-ton vehicles daily between 9.30am and 2.30pm.

But Blackburn Council received more than 20 letters of objection and a petition signed by 80 residents.

Their major concern was that the access route was through a residential area where children would be walking to Avondale Primary School. Petitioners also said that Avondale Road was already heavily congested and to allow access would increase the number of heavy goods vehicles and the risk of accidents.

Coun Dave Smith told the council that the area was an accident blackspot.

"The access isn't particularly good and the road is far too narrow to be used," he said.

However, six letters were also received from shopkeepers who supported the application, saying that employees parking in side streets affected their trade and the new car park was necessary.

There was also a petition from the Weltonhurst workforce in favour of the plan.

The firm, which will soon have about 100 employees, argued it already had prior planning permission for an access road to the site.

Managing director Paul Burrows said: "We will appeal and put the costs to the council.

"We've not even had one committee member round to see us and the invitation has been outstanding for many months."

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