Redevelopment plans for Rawtenstall's Valley Centre and bus station are still on track, it has been confirmed.

The decision to demolish the shopping centre, off Bank Street, to create shops, apartments, restaurants and cafes will not be called in by the Government.

Rossendale's development control committee approved the scheme, by Ashbourne Property, back in February.

But the possibility remained that the Department for Communities and Local Government could ask for a closer look at the project.

Only a few traders remain in the dilapidated centre.

The long-awaited county council proposals to revamp Rawtenstall's Bacup Road bus station have also been debated by county and borough councillors at the Lancashire Local Rossendale committee.

But a traders' spokeswoman said she believed that the space assigned for the bus station was too limited for what needed to be achieved there.

She added: "I am anxious to see what the county council does in the comparatively limited amount of space they are going to get.

"I would also like to know what has happened with the job centre site because this would make a difference to the land which the county council has to play with.

"The public of Rawtenstall is extremely disappointed with how this has developed over the years."

Last week Rossendale Transport received planning permission to move its bus depot from behind Rawtenstall bus station, to a new site off Broadway, Haslingden.

Coun Judith Driver called for an update on proposals to generate a compulsory purchase order for the job centre building, adjacent to the bus station complex.

Coun Bob Wilkinson said consultations needed to be made with the borough council and developer over the Valley Centre's overhaul so the bus station proposals would still be appropriate.

He said: "The main thing is that the bus station is another step nearer."