Biggest single money-maker will be new hotel £1.2 million is needed from

land sales to meet the cost

of the council's building and

improvements budget. THE sale of publicly-owned land in Pendle should rake in £1.2million to council coffers this year, councillors have been told.

And the site of a new hotel at Greenfield, Colne, looks like being the biggest single money-maker for the town hall -- netting £544,000 early next year.

A report to the council's resource committee says £1.2 million is needed from land sales to meet the cost of the council's building and improvements budget. A further £600,000 from disposals is expected in over the following two years. Officers say the full programme relies heavily on the sale of land for residential development.

On Greenfield they say planning permission has been approved and the purchaser's solicitor is being pressed to complete as soon as possible.

Plans to build a 60-bed hotel, including conference suite and fitness centre, at the Colne end of the M65 motorway, were unveiled at the start of the year.

Developer Greenfield Park wants to build on a field at the junction of Whitewalls Drive and the end of the motorway.

Outline planning permission was granted in October 1998 and full plans approved in February.

The hotel would be a long building with a two-storey wing which connects to a central reception area with conference room above it. They would lead to a bar/restaurant and function room. A single storey building would house a swimming pool, gym and changing rooms.

Outside there would be a 181 space car park and spaces for three coaches. The entrance would be off Whitewalls Drive at its junction with Greenfield Road.