A DECISION for key funding to extend one of East Lancashire’s largest business parks is set to provoke controversy, with campaigners claiming roads won’t cope.

County council leader Jennifer Mein is being asked to give her authority’s backing to the expansion of the Lomeshaye industrial estate, near Nelson and Brierfield, in July.

But the proposal has already sparked a debate between Pendle borough leaders and villagers in the likes of Fence and Barrowford, where 500 homes are due to be built at Trough Laithe, behind the Nelson and Colne College site.

Cllr Mohammed Iqbal, the Labour leader of the borough council, has insisted that the site is vital to the area’s economic future, with the potential to create an extra 2,000 jobs at stake.

Opponents however believe the roads infrastructure will be left under severe strain, if a connecting route is established between the M65 at junction 12 and the Padiham bypass.

Cllr Iqbal said: “We fully support the extension of Lomeshaye - the government has made it clear that the only game in town is through developments such as this and the generation of extra business rates which we can retain.

“So we would look forward to any additional investment, as well as what Pendle Council is able to provide, to establish a quality employment site for local people.”

An initial phase would see the rear of the existing Lomeshaye site extended, with a second leg seeing the construction of a link road with the A6068 bypass, which links Padiham and Barrowford, through Higham and Fence.

Cllr Brian Newman, who represents the Old Laund Booth ward covering Fence, said: “This has been very contentious already and there will undoubtedly be objections.

“They are talking not only building an extension but creating a road through from the M65 to the bypass, which has a very poor record for accidents around there.

“There is also going to be a 500-homes development at Trough Laithe and you cannot expect the bypass to be able to cope with this amount of vehicles.”

Cllr Newman is also chairman of Old Laund Booth Parish Council, which is expected to debate the plans afresh when it meets next Monday in Fence.

The parish council has been firmly against the Lomeshaye extension for some time and circulated an e-mail protest to all members of the borough.

It read: “The land is green belt, which can only be changed if there are exceptional circumstances. It is far from clear that there are such circumstances in this case.

“The calculations on which the requirement for so much extra employment land are flawed and involve subjective judgements which can be easily challenged.

“The plans apparently involve the creation of a roundabout onto the bypass which would add substantial traffic to an already busy and dangerous road.

“The situation would be even worse if the addition a very large housing estate is allowed off the bypass just before the college, as is also planned.”

No firm figure has been given for the prospective county council support but Cllr Mein’s decision will be for a total above £1.4million, it has been confirmed.

If Lomeshaye is extended then effectively Pendle’s largest industrial and business and leisure developments will sit either side of the M65, as Nelson-based Barnfield and the borough look to overhaul the former Brierfield Mill under their Northlight masterplan, attracting a hotel, new adult education college, a Burnley FC backed sports complex, marina and apartments.