The man behind a plan to transform the Bowyers factory site in Trowbridge into a cinema and leisure complex has said he is ‘delighted’ councillors will finally make their decision on his application next month.

Wiltshire Council was criticised for failing to bring the plans for a cinema, supermarket, restaurants and bars to a planning committee six months after the scheme for the Stallard Street site was first unveiled.

Now councillors who sit on the Western Area Planning Committee will finally give their verdict on May 9.

They will be under pressure to support an application which would create more than 450 jobs and revitalise the town centre site. which has been lying unused since 2007.

An independent report commissioned by the council estimates that 1.34m extra people would visit Trowbridge every year and around 25 per cent of visitors to the complex would venture into the town centre.

This would in turn benefit the local economy by up to an additional £6.4m.

Angus Horner, managing director of Prorsus, the company behind the scheme, said: “Obviously we are delighted to have finally secured a committee date for Innox Riverside.

“With high levels of local support, full funding, and strong occupier interest in the few remaining units, Innox Riverside is set to transform Trowbridge’s leisure offer and play a leading role in the ongoing regeneration of the town.

“I hope that local councillors will recognise the undoubted potential of our scheme and I look forward to the discussion at committee.”

Much of the debate around the application has been centred on whether people prefer it to a rival cinema bid at St Stephen’s Place or not, but on May 9 councillors will have to judge the application on its own merits under planning law.

The meeting is due to take place at 6pm at the Bradley Road council offices in Trowbridge.