VILLAGERS have insisted that an M65 junction needs a major revamp before a project which could bring 1,000 jobs to East Lancashire becomes a reality.

Proposals to rejuvenate the former Hepworth Building Products site at Pollard Moor, Hapton, are being pursued by Ribbleton Estates with the support of Burnley Council.

The land, along with Whitebirk Industrial Estate near Blackburn, is said to be one of the two central areas for job creation in the Pennine Lancashire area.

But Hapton Parish Council is adamant that without the M65’s junction nine being made two-way, the potential for traffic problems in the village and nearby Padiham would be massive.

Currently the junction is only accessible from the Burnley and Pendle bound side, as there is no parallel slip road off the Blackburn and Preston carriageway.

Robert Golding, parish council spokesman, said: “This site is really welcome for employment purposes and this is what the parish council wants for the land.

“It is a golden opportunity to bring jobs to Hapton and Padiham. But that junction also feeds the Network 65 business park which is on the other side.

“That causes really big traffic jams already along the A679 from cars coming from the Preston direction.

“This is wonderful but what we should push for is to make this junction both ways.”

People living in Hapton are worried that the main access to Pollard Moor, without junction improvements would be along Manchester Road, either from the A679 direction or from Padiham through Stonemoor Bottom.

Approval was given earlier this year for consultants to produce a feasability study regarding the construction of a link road over the Leeds Liverpool Canal to the former Hepworth’s plant.

County councillor Marcus Johnstone, who represents Padiham and Burnley West division, said that discussion had been ongoing about the junction since he used to chair the borough council’s economic development committee.

“They have really got to put investment into a new slip road,” added Coun Johnstone, who stressed that the anticipated cost would be beyond either the county or borough council’s capital programmes.

Mike Cook, Burnley council’s regeneration director, added: “The key issue here is that we have a new owner that is serious about this site and is prepared to invest far more than it will take to remediate this site and access it.”

The Lancashire Local Burnley committee has asked for regular briefings on the scheme’s progress.