A MULTI-MILLION pound town centre redevelopment is in ‘turmoil’, it has been claimed.

Rawtenstall’s community leaders and chamber of commerce have raised serious concerns and objections over plans to transform the former Valley Centre site in Bank Street.

Rossendale Together Barnfield, a partnership between Rossendale Council, Together Housing and Barnfield Construction, drew up plans for a new hotel, housing, leisure facilities and food and drink outlets on the site in 2016.

Plans for phase two of the £5.4million Spinning Point development in Rawtenstall have been revised in response to feedback from different public consultations, an RTB spokesman confirmed.

The amended scheme includes changes to the proposed design of the new bus station and refurbished town hall and the creation of a large public open space in the area. 

The project, which was awarded £1.9m from the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership’s Growth Fund and £3.5m from Lancashire County Council, was scheduled to be completed next year but now Rossendale Cllr Andy McNae, who is the portfolio holder for regeneration, said there is no ‘fixed’ end date.

Phases one and two of the RTB-run scheme have already seen work take place to demolish Rawtenstall’s former police station, the one-stop shop and annex to the town hall.

Following the RTB board’s recent appointment of PR firm Northern Edge Consultancy, which will handle communications for the project, community leaders have spoken out against the project which has been slammed as a ‘mess’ and they claim there is no chance it will be completed by next year.

In a Facebook post, Rawtenstall Chamber of Commerce listed a series of objections of phase two of the project which they claim is based on wholly ‘inaccurate’ conclusion set out in a ‘next to useless’ report on the impact of the development town centre from Capita which suggested there was no need for additional parking in the area.

It said: “Based on our exchanges with customers, staff and residents our very strong sense is the majority of people would like the council to take a breath after completing the bus station before going ahead with any further development.”

“While we accept the council may have time pressures and financial considerations linked to grant funding for the application, the planning application should not be rushed through on that basis.”

Peter Wood, of the Friends of Rawtenstall, said: “There is no chance it will be completed next year. It’s a mess. Phase one is in turmoil and has been going on for two years.

“I fully support the idea to regenerate the area but the current plans for the bus station and the Valley Centre mark two need a complete rethink in the context of the wider town.”

Kathy Fishwick, chairman of Rossendale Civic Trust, said: “The whole thing is dragging on for too long. The decisions that should have been made a long time ago are still up for debate.

“I had a meeting with the chief planner and architect and they still have not produced the final drawings for the proposed current proposals.”

A RTB spokesman said: “Phase two will follow the construction of the new bus station, which is on track to be completed by the end of 2018 and the refurbishment of the former town hall.

“New windows have recently been installed as part of the renovation and the interior fit-out is now taking place, ready to be occupied by Together Housing in summer 2018.”

Cllr McNae said: “I think there was a negative reaction to the images shown in the early planning documents but they do not represent the final version. 

“The revised designs show that we are listening.” and taking all comments and suggestions on board to make the scheme the best it can be. 

“In an ideal world we would have the sites occupiers confirmed by October but we are not fixing ourselves to an end date. The priority is getting the right occupiers in.”

A public drop in session to provide an update on the redevelopment will be held at Longholme Methodist Church, in Bacup Road, Rawtenstall, next Wednesday from 4pm to 7pm.