A COUNCILLOR has accused businesses of holding the authority to ransom by threatening to cut jobs if they don't get permission to expand premises.

Coun Paul Browne said he was fed up with the way companies treated planning applications submitted to Blackburn with Darwen Council.

He spoke after bosses at recycling firm Donelan Trading Ltd, of Tower Road, Darwen, warned they would be forced to relocate outside the borough if they did not get permission for new buildings on their site.

Residents in the area had opposed the plans on the grounds that they would lead to more noise coming from the site, and there would be an increase the amount of traffic.

Councillors deferred a decision on the application until a traffic management plan had been drawn up.

Duncan Isherwood, representing the recycling firm, said: "If this development is not approved, then the firm will have to look elsewhere to expand and that could impact on jobs.

"It also raises the prospect of not knowing what would replace the company at the Tower Road site."

Coun Browne said: "I am fed up of this council being held to ransom by companies telling us to approve things or they'll move on and take jobs away.

"We shouldn't let ourselves be intimidated by this, and I certainly won't be in the future."