A hard -pressed company which may axe dozens of jobs after trying to rescue Lister Fabrics has been given a boost by Bradford Council.

Bradford area planning sub-committee approved a planning application for a major extension of the mill shop in Listers North Mill.

Members gave the go-ahead after visiting the famous mill, even though officers said they were concerned the new shopping area could hit the city centre and other established shopping areas.

But chairman Councillor Syd Collard said he hoped it would be the catalyst for the redevelopment of both the North and massive South Mill, with its landmark chimney.

But the sub-committee agreed the company, Haddow Holdings, would have to agree with officers the type of products it would sell.

Today, Haddow's chief executive, Giles Overend, said he was delighted with the decision which could increase the number of jobs in the mill shop by about ten.

But it will not affect the threat of 40 weaving jobs, bringing the total number of jobs left to about 25. Last year the company took over Lister Fabrics PLC with the hope of saving 150 jobs when the company went into receivership.

Mr Overend said before the site visit that the authority only appeared to be interested in the regeneration of the South Mill at the expense of the North Mill, which his company was trying to save.

But Mr Overend told the committee that the extension was "not going to be an Aldi or Netto".

He said he had bought the North Mill -which was in a state of neglect - with the aim of regenerating it and saving the business. "It isn't the case that I am applying for retail planning permission by the back door," he added.

He said he was asking for a pittance from the Council for a small area of the mill which could help bring it back to life.

"They say that the South Mill is different and can have retail, but I think that is double standards."

He said out of 300,000 square feet of the North Mill, 60,000 were in a "terrible state" - although all the attention was focused on the South Mill.

The company is holding talks with the unions and employees about the threats to the jobs. It would continue to design fabrics if the redundancies went ahead.

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