CONTROVERSIAL plans to bring a new business park and 350 jobs to a village near York may have moved a step closer.

The historic tannery at Strensall is due to close on January 30.

Nine leather factory workers will be offered compulsory redundancy - if they turn down a switch to the Leeds HQ of Charles F Stead.

Managing director Peter Crack blamed an economic slump for the shutdown.

He said: "The leather industry is having a rough time. We can accommodate all our work on one site in Leeds and cut costs."

Now bosses hope a long-delayed blueprint for a 13,500 square metre office development at the doomed tannery will finally get off the ground.

First tabled in 2001, outline plans have yet to go before committee, partly because of traffic congestion wrangles.

About 70 concerned residents packed a public meeting in April to protest Strensall is already grid-locked.

But Mr Crack said: "Our plans have been modified and a traffic assessment carried out.

"We've bent over backwards to try and accommodate villagers.

"Strensall already has a huge amount of housing. We thought this would be an opportunity to provide up to 350 jobs, mainly for villagers."

Mr Crack said he hoped outline plans would be heard by December. "As far as we're concerned it's full steam ahead for the business park, if we get permission."

But City of York Council planning department said no details were yet listed.

Council ward members Madeleine Kirk and Ian Cuthbertson said villagers were still concerned about the development, particularly traffic access, location and viability of the project.

The Lib Dem members said another public meeting would be held when fresh plans were revealed.

The Strensall tannery, believed to have been a fixture in the village for centuries, used to employ up to 50 people in the 1960s, before the workforce was gradually reduced.

Updated: 08:26 Saturday, November 22, 2003