THE final go ahead has been given for work to begin on Westhoughton's long-awaited supermarket.

Planning councillors yesterday approved an amended application for two units in the development on land off Cricketers Way.

And afterwards, Westhoughton Labour Cllr Peter Finch said: "We are expecting work to start in the next week or so.

"We have waited a long time for this, but I believe it is the beginning of the re-generation of Westhoughton.

"The sooner the developer gets on the site, the better."

Westhoughton, Liberal Democrat Cllr David Wilkinson, a long-time critic of the plans added: "I may have had a lot to say about this. But this is the plan we have and the sooner it starts, the better."

The development has been on and off a number of times over the last 20 years and outline planning permission for this particular scheme was granted in 1994.

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