BOSSES at the Whalley Community Hydro Project have moved a step closer to the start of construction work after accepting a bank loan of £400,000.

The group applied for a loan from The Charity Bank to go towards funding the project and it’s hoped that work can begin at the start of May.

Just under £400,000 has already been raised through selling shares in the community project.

Due to conditions on the project from the Environment Agency, work in the River Calder can’t start until after May 1 because of fish migration protection.

Chris Gathercole, a director at Whalley Community Hydro, said: “It’s a positive move for the project and we are currently well on track.”