PLANNING councillors were being warned today that if approval is given to a massive new supermarket scheme at the former Wanderers' former Burnden Park site, it will jeopardise an ambitious scheme which would create 300 jobs in Farnworth. As reported in Tuesday's BEN, Widnes-based developers Morbaine have submitted an application to build a massive supermarket on land on the Farnworth-Kearsley border near to the junction of Bolton Road and Old Hall Street. But the company fears it will fail to find a retailer if the scheme at Burnden Park - which involves the demolition of the historic football ground - gets the go-ahead.

Bolton planning committee was expected to reach a decision later today on whether that scheme should be allowed.

Morbaine's planning consultant Barris Liptrott said the Farnworth development would complement the £71 million long-term Single Regeneration Budget scheme designed to breathe new life into Farnworth and Little Hulton, and the multi-million pound plans to transform Farnworth town centre with money from Europe.

The town centre proposals received a blow last year when council chiefs learned that they would only receive half the money they had applied for from the European Regional Development Fund.

As a result the scheme, which is due to start this month, was scaled down from a £5 million project to between £2 and £3 million.

The council has announced that the pedestrianisation of Brackley Street will still go ahead as will improvements to the Longcauseway and Bolton Road junction. But plans to upgrade three other major road junction schemes had to be abandoned. The Morbaine scheme would include major improvements to the Longcauseway and Bolton Road junction - paid for by the company.

Morbaine also claims it would close off Grundy Road to prevent undesirable "rat-running."

The plans also include the closure of three scrap yards. And two 24-hour haulage depots would be relocated.

Planning officers have urged councillors to approve the plans for Burnden Park at today's meeting. Howard Barritt, Bolton Council's head of planning control, explained that even if the Burnden plans were approved this afternoon they will still have to be sent to the Secretary of State, John Prescott, for permission.

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