ONE of Pendle's leading engineering firms could be on the move to Barnoldswick, bringing around 300 jobs with it.

When Pendle Council's West Craven committee met this week, it was revealed that Foulridge-based Weston Electrical Units Ltd was the company behind an application to develop a major industrial site in Barnoldswick.

A planning application had been submitted by agents Trevor Dawson and Co, but the identity of their client had remained a closely-guarded secret for reasons of commercial sensitivity. Jane Dickman, of Trevor Dawson and Co, told the meeting that in fact their client was Weston EU Ltd, a well-established family firm currently located on five sites in Foulridge.

Miss Dickman said that for some time the precision engineering company, founded in 1948, had been looking to consolidate its operations on one site. But it was keen to stay in the Pendle area and retain its existing workforce of around 300 people, many of them highly skilled.

The planning application relates to a 4.32 hectare site next to the canal at Long Ing, on the opposite side to Silentnight Beds' Moss Shed plant.

Part of the proposed development, fronting Long Ing Lane, is the site of the former Barnsay Shed, demolished some years ago. But the proposed development stretches much further along the canalside, to a point opposite the far end of Silentnight's lorry park enclosure.

The outline application seeks permission in principle to use the site for business, general industry and storage and distribution. Back in 1993, Silentnight won outline planning permission for a 250,000 sq ft building on the site, but the permission was never implemented and has since lapsed.

However, the site was earmarked for industrial use during last year's review of Pendle's Local Plan - a planning blueprint for the area's future.

A planning officer's report to the West Craven committee outlined a number of objections from nearby residents on the Coates estate and Rainhall Crescent. Their concerns included: the use of green fields for industry; an increase in heavy traffic in the area; increased pollution from noise and fumes; danger to children from heavy traffic; the effects of drainage from the site into the canal; the impact on views; an adverse affect on the leisure use of the canal; and that the site should be used for housing.

Coun David Whipp commented: "This is one of the most important applications that the West Craven committee has ever considered, perhaps second only to the Earby Business Park, now renamed the West Craven Business Park," he said.

He added that with local companies such as Albert Hartley's in real difficulty, it was crucial to have land available for commercial and business development to generate and attract new jobs to the area.

"But we need to get the balance right and consider the concerns of residents," he said.

Coun Whipp said another concern was increased traffic in the area. The report to the committee recommended talks between the applicant and the highways authority, and planning officer Janet Filbin reported that they had taken place.

She said what was proposed was a legally binding agreement requiring the applicant to carry out various road improvements as part of the development. It would include traffic calming measures on Rainhall Road and Valley Road, new 20mph zones in the area, especially on Coates Avenue, and improvements to the junction with Fernlea Avenue, outside the Police Station.

Coun Whipp added that the agreement should include establishing an already planned play area on the nearby former Barnsay garage site, as it would give local children somewhere to play safely away from traffic.

Other conditions included making suitable arrangements for drainage and run-off of surface water, a detailed investigation of the site for landfill gas, and details of landscaping of the site.

That included using a strip of land above the access road to Higher Barnsay Farm solely for planting and landscaping, to act as a buffer between the development and homes on Rainhall Crescent.

With those and other conditions attached, members voted unanimously to grant outline planning permission. However, a full and detailed planning application must still be approved before any development can take place.

As an aside, Earby councillor Doris Allen asked Miss Dickman to convey the committee's "grave concerns" to Weston EU over the future of the empty supermarket building in the centre of Earby. The building has never been used since it was erected as a supermarket over five years ago. It was later acquired by Westons, which won planning permission for light industrial use, but has never implemented it.