A GATEWAY to one of Colne’s newest estates looks set to benefit from a much-needed revamp.

Unkempt land between Knotts Drive and Hawley Street has been a bone of contention between developers and councillors for some time.

An investigation into who owns the land has been ongoing for nearly four years but a possible solution has now been drawn up.

Designs for a toddlers play area, surrounded by small wooded areas, have been presented to the Colne area committee, which meets next Thursday.

And a new sandstone wall will be installed alongside the haven, as Khyber Street becomes Knotts Drive, alongside a wildflower area.

The centre of the gateway site will be grassed over to create play opportunities for older children and a pathway at the top of the site will be reinstated as it has become overgrown with weeds.

Currently the land has a significant slope and the land will be reprofiled to even the site out.

An estimate has been drawn up for the scheme, of £38,500 and money will be provided through planning deals, secured when the former Simpsons Garage site and land at Vivary Way were developed.

The previous difficulties with the site revolved around what portion of the land was owned by a developer, which has since gone bust, and how much belonged to Electricity North West, which has a sub station at the southern end of the plot.

But council environment bosses are confident that the project can proceed without any problems now after conducting Land Registry searches.

Engineering and special projects manager Tricia Wilson said: “We noted that there was enough land in council ownership to do a revised scheme on the site.”