WILTSHIRE Council is expected to make a decision on the planned £7m redevelopment of the derelict Peter Black factory off County Way in Trowbridge next Wednesday.

The plans to demolish the “eyesore” site at Cradle Bridge were submitted to the council by property consultants JLL, on behalf of MRMU and King Developments, in January.

Peter Black Toiletries closed in 2002 and the site has been derelict for nearly a decade, but the application would see it transformed into four shops with 150 car parking spaces – if approved by the Western Area Planning Committee.

The developers have already confirmed that two of the units will be taken up by M&S Simply Food and Toby Carvery, with Majestic Wine also said to be interested in moving to the town.

Kevin Hunt, from JLL, said: “The key thing is a development on this site that is deliverable and will be built and won't leave the site vacant as it has been for a good number of years now.

“If we get consent on the 29th - and we hope we do - we will develop this site.”

A public exhibition was held in November last year to give residents an opportunity to look at the plans, with the majority of those who attended welcoming the development.

Mike Baxter, of Frome Road, spoke to the Wiltshire Times at the exhibition and said: “It will get rid of an eyesore. I think it’s going to be a very good and positive development. They can’t not do this, it is going to be a superb addition.”

The development, which includes plans for a new cycle and footbridge across the River Biss, is expected to be completed by the summer of 2016 if the planning committee does gives it the go ahead.