A PROPOSED industrial development in Foulridge was thrown out by councillors when they heard the applicant would not comply with recommended working hours.

Consideration of the application to demolish garage buildings at J A Transport, in Station Road, and replace them with a portal frame industrial building was deferred by the Colne and District Committee on August 9.

Members wanted to carry out a site visit.

A petition against the development containing 50 names of residents in Station Road was handed over at the meeting.

Nine letters of objection from neighbours on 35 separate grounds, including views being blocked, an increase in noise and traffic, the village being over run with industry and a difficulty in large vehicles turning and parking, planners had recommended the application for approval.

However an agent for JA Transport told councillors that the applicant would not comply with the condition of working hours and delivery hours being between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday and 8am to noon on Saturday.

Planning manager Andy Wiggett said that if the company could not comply with the conditions it was pointless granting planning permission.

Chairman of the meeting Coun Jo Belbin described the site in Foulridge as disgraceful.

"If refusing this application means it is going to go away full stop, then that's the best we could have hoped for."

The applicant intended to transfer the operations of Concept Staging, which is under the same directorship as JA Transport, from Eden Works, in Earby, to work from a shared site in Station Road.