WORK is well under way on a new business park in Earby that could create up to 450 new jobs in the town.

The 12-acre business park will be developed on land next to the existing Wardle Storeys Grove Mill complex, with planning permission already in place.

Work is now under way on creating a new access road linking the site with the main A56 road through Earby, close to the Punch Bowl public house.

It will also be used by Wardle Storeys, helping alleviate long-running congestion problems as lorries negotiate the steep School Lane, with cars parked either side of the road.

Development of the new business park is being carried out by Skipton-based J N Bentley Ltd, and there has been considerable commercial interest in the new site.

Two of the planned units are already under offer, even before they have been built.

Paul Bentley, the managing director of J N Bentley Ltd, said; "We are proud to be involved with this prestigious new development, which will bring more work to the North of England.

"It is the latest of a number of commercial developments we have undertaken. Each separate venture gives us the opportunity to develop facilities focussed on the needs of individual clients."

Part of the funding for the new business park has come from Pendle Partnership - the body set up to oversee the spending of Government cash designed to regenerate the area and promote new business and industry. Its chairman is West Craven businessman Dennis Mendoros, who welcomed the start of work at Earby.

"The development of the West Craven Business Park is fantastic news, and it brings a welcome boost to the people and businesses of West Craven and Pendle," he said.

Work on the development is due to be completed in 2002.