A LEADING councillor has called for talks with developers planning to build a massive retail and industrial centre in Colne.

Car dealership giant Sanderson Bramall and Pendle Council's Colne committee are on a collision course over the £10 million scheme to demolish the former Smith & Nephew Stonebridge Mill site in North Valley Road and build a DIY superstore and car showrooms, together with other shops and industrial units.

Committee chairman Coun Tony Greaves has accused the developers of trying to drive a hole through the council's forthcoming Local Plan and says the land should be kept for industry. Coun Greaves wants to meet the developers to look at the contentious scheme, which has attracted a "paper war" of press statements.

"I am very unhappy at the way the applicants are communicating via press releases issued by an advertising agency in Accrington," he said, referring to CW Advertising which is handling public relations for the developers.

"They have sent their latest press release to every member of Colne and district committee but ad-men's sound-bites are no basis for a sensible discussion on the future of this extremely important site."

Coun Greaves, who has issued a press release of his own on the matter, has also received a letter from the applicants which he has welcomed. "It means they are real people at the end of a phone in an office and not just another corporate organisation," he said.

He has replied suggesting a meeting between councillors and the developers.

He added: "The council wants to see this land developed and used in ways which will create a lot of jobs. But we would prefer to meet the new or potential owners to explain to them what we would like to see, and the problems we want to see overcome.

"I have no doubt that this land will be developed within the next year or two, and whatever it is used for it will have a huge local impact.

"It may be that there will have to be quite a lot of compromise on all sides over what it is used for. On the other hand there can be a prolonged pitched battle between the applicants and the council which will do no-one any good.

"I hope the applicants will take up the offer of face to face discussions so that at least we each understand what the others are saying."

Gill Culshaw, of CW Advertising, said: "The developers are progressing towards an opportunity to sit down with Councillor Greaves and his colleagues to talk about this scheme but they feel it should also go before the whole council."

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