A DECISION on proposed changes to an industrial site in West Craven has been deferred so more discussions can take place with the applicant.

Councillors at a meeting in Barnoldswick this week were presented with a petition of more than 100 names objecting to outline plans for land behind  Sough Bridge Mill, Colne Road, Kelbrook, for the demolition of two existing industrial use buildings  and their replacement with three new storage and distribution buildings.

Objectors at the meeting of Pendle Council's West Craven Committee called for the application to be refused on grounds of highways safety and questioned the reasoning of the highways authority to raise no objection. Objectors pointed out there were already issues with parking in the area, including with parents dropping and collecting their children from school, and feared the building of the new units would make things worse.

Yesterday's (Tuesday)  meeting in Barnoldswick's Rainhall Centre heard that if councillors were minded to go against officer recommendation to approve the scheme and instead refuse it, the application would go to Pendle Council's main planning committee for a decision because of the potential risk of costs being awarded against the authority if the applicant went to appeal.

It was also pointed out by planning manager Neil Watson that the committee had moved approval of the application at its meeting last month, subject to the retention of a line of trees on the northern boundary of the site that turned out not to belong to the applicant.

Instead, it was decided to defer a decision until the next meeting in December to see if improvements could be made to the plan following more discussions with the applicant, AB Investments NW Ltd.

In his report to the committee, Mr Watson had once again recommended the proposal for approval, saying that it would 'encourage economic growth through the creation of jobs'.

In its comments, Lancashire County Council Highways said the current industrial buildings and storage units will be removed. The new units, which would be advertised 'to let' would be of B8 use - storage and distribution - in place of the current B2 - industrial - and so a 'reduction in traffic impact'.

The highways authority used a TRICS analysis - commonly used by local authorities to estimate traffic generated by a proposal, as well as visiting the site, before concluding: "The proposed development will have no significant impact on highway safety, capacity or amenity in the immediate vicinity of the site."