CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a double-deck car park at Boundary Mill Stores have been withdrawn – for the time being.
Residents objecting to the application have welcomed the news, as has Coun. Tony Greaves who had "not much doubt" councillors would have turned it down.
Executive chairman of the store, Mr Richard Bannister, said withdrawing the application would allow for discussions with councillors. He said: "Since the opening of the new store last Easter, visitor numbers have exceeded all expectations and there is great optimism growth will continue. Around 100 new jobs were created at the time of opening and more are required for the Christmas trading period.
"If numbers continue to grow, then even more staff will be needed. However, if more jobs are a consequence of more customers, then it will inevitably mean more cars visiting the store and we must make proper plans to get them safely off the local roads."
>>More on this story in today's Colne TimesObjector Mr Aubrey Roadway met this news with scepticism. "Everyone's delighted but it sends up a big question mark. If the car park is not big enough, surely it raises the question of who passed the plans in the first place with too small a car park?
"If they want more car parking space, what about all that at the old store by Asda and putting on a shuttle bus, or that at the former Kwik Save site in Colne to help put a bit of trade back into the town?"
Coun. Greaves said he welcomed the chance for councillors to meet the owners of the store, but also had doubts about the seriousness of the parking problems which the owners claim exist.
He said: "I think many people were shocked they were proposing to wreck the impressive setting of the new store so soon after it was built.
"Apart from that first Bank Holiday weekend when the store opened, it's not clear there have been serious problems of overflow parking in the surrounding area. We will all be watching the situation before Christmas and at the New Year with interest.
"We very much support Boundary Mill for their huge contribution to the local economy. At the same time, we will subject all their development proposals to the critical scrutiny that local residents expect."
>>Outcry over Boundary Mill car park plan>>New Boundary Mill opens today>>New Boundary Mill causes traffic chaosThe full article contains 413 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
