THE second phase of a multi-million pound regeneration of a market town centre is set to be abandoned.

In a major U-turn Rossendale councillors have been recommended to scrap the £5.4m remainder of the flagship Spinning Point scheme for Rawtenstall.

So far it has seen the completion of a new £3.5m bus station and the refurbishment of the town hall and well as the demolition of the former Valley Centre shopping complex and creation of a public square.

At various points, the second phase has included plans for a hotel and spa, a cinema, 29 apartments, restaurants, bars, cafes, and seven retail outlets.

Now officers have submitted papers to the Full Council meeting a week tomorrow recommending the scrapping of the project’s entire second stage.

The move is a victory for Tory opponents including Mid-Rossendale county councillor David Foxcroft and Helmshore’s borough councillor David Stansfield who in May 2017 branded the project ‘pie in the sky’.

The documents published today recommend Rossendale Council instead look at tackling car parking, creating, a better town square and advancing a £10m Lancashire County Council improvement scheme for the gyratory system at the heart of the town’s roads.

Cllr Alyson Barnes, leader of the council, said: “Rawtenstall is a real success story.

“This council with its partners have delivered a lot. We have replaced the Valley Centre eyesore. We have delivered a refurbished town hall which has provided jobs, a new bus station and attracted investors and businesses to come into the town.

“We have bucked the trend in Rawtenstall. It’s a town on the up.

“The question then arises, if the town is doing so well, would a huge development such as Spinning Point phase town help or hinder that progress?

“The conclusion we as an administration have reached is that Rawtenstall doesn’t need such a development. which could hamper the growing buzz in the town.

“I believe this will be a popular decision. It wouldn’t be right to continue with proposals we no longer believe in.”