ONE of Rossendale's biggest firms has warned that 50 jobs would be under threat if they do not get permission to build two new warehouses.

Bacup-based J and J Ormerod has submitted plans to Rossendale Council to build the new warehouses in Railway Street, Stacksteads, as part of a £7 million investment in new machinery to increase production capabilities.

And bosses of the kitchen and bathroom manu-facturers fear that if the application is rejected by the council's development con-trol committee, jobs could be lost.

Managing director Stephen Greenhalgh said: "We are planning the new warehouses which will provide 25,000 sq ft of space.

"It's a vital step forward if we are going to be able to safeguard the jobs we have established here in Rossen-dale.

"Because of the success of our new Eco range, we are now importing a lot of materials from Belgium because we don't have the capacity on site, despite the fact that we are currently operating 24 hours a day.

"That's a situation we need to address for the long term and the choices are stark.

"We either need to invest here in plant machinery and facilities, or increasingly rely on imports."

"We want to do the former. Without the new ware-housing around 50 jobs would be in jeopardy.

Mr Greenhalgh said that the firm's history and roots were linked to Rossendale and they wanted it to stay that way.

He said: "We are wholly committed to Rossendale - hence this investment - but it is important that we continue to manufacture high-quality products as cost effectively as possible.

"We are competing on a global stage in very tough conditions but we are still growing and investing."

J and J Ormerod is one of the Valley's oldest firms and employs more than 450 employees at a number of sites, and supplies kitchens and bedrooms to independent high street furniture stores throughout the UK and into Europe.

The plans are expected to go before the development control committee next month.