A COUNCIL decision by the narrowest margin to allow a new business park to be developed on green land east of the A49 in Ludlow has met with muted celebrations by victors - and a pledge to continue the fight by opponents.

South Shropshire District Council leader Heather Kidd welcomed the approval given to "a high quality development for a high class town" but described the decision as difficult.

Prominent protest campaigner Jan Rose declared "the battle is not over yet", warning that objectors may challenge the vote and demand a referendum.

The agreement to give the go-ahead to the controversial Eco-business park scheme at Sheet Road North was carried only by the casting vote of Lib Dem chairman Neville Stevens.

Two councillors abstained and one Lib Dem member, Coun Richard Phillips, was not allowed to attend the meeting or vote because of a personal interest. He said afterwards he would have voted against.

The marathon three-and-a-half hour meeting was packed with members of the public who witnessed one of the most highly charged debates ever seen in the council chamber.

It showed a council, like Ludlow itself, split down the middle between those arguing the natural beauty of Ludlow's surroundings must be preserved and those who believed the priority was jobs.

The decision will now be referred to Environment Minister John Prescott, who will decide within about six weeks whether to call a public inquiry by a government-appointed inspector.

The run-up to the debate saw a growing band of town groups oppose the plan. Protests came from Ludlow Town Council, which unanimously voted against it, Ludford Parish Council, Ludlow Civic Society and Ludlow and District Chamber of Trade. Protesters have also criticised the council for overriding objections raised by the Highways Agency on safety aspects and traffic flow on the A49.

However there was also evidence of a strong body of opinion in favour, with young people especially arguing for more jobs.

They were championed by Councillor Susan McCormack, who underlined the need to provide for not only new businesses but also the expansion needs of existing employers, notably Premier Medical, which has threatened to leave town if it cannot find more space.

However, Mrs Rose, of the Ludlow Plan Action Group, said she was angered at the council stance during the debate: "The whole meeting was about how much money would be lost when the matter should have been decided on its merits.

"What was especially disgraceful was councillors not being notified previously of the 10 per cent deposit signed with the landowners, a substantial part of the £98,000 of costs."

She said her group would investigate whether it could demand a referendum under Local Government law.

It would also relay its case to the minister's regional office and raise objections to the use of the chairman's casting vote.

But South Shropshire District Council chief executive Graham Biggs said the vote had been used properly: "There is no requirement in local authority law for the chairman of a meeting to execute his casting vote in any direction.

"The proposal before the council was that the council maintain the status quo within the policy framework so the chairman did vote for the status quo. The council was not sufficiently persuaded to change the policy framework and that was the council's decision."