Crunch talks were due to be held today over the future of one of the town's biggest employers.

Flakt Woods employs 500 staff in the town and plans to move from Tufnell Way to a new site in Severalls.

But as the Evening Gazette revealed last week, unless Woods gets permission without prolonged delay to turn its current Tufnell Way site into new homes, it is likely to relocate to Poland.

The reason is that the housing development in Tufnell Way will help pay for the new factory at Severalls.

Crunch talks between Woods bosses and the council's top brass were held today behind closed doors.

The meeting comes ahead of a planning committee discussion about the two Flakt Woods applications on Thursday night.

Council leader Colin Sykes said: "We are meeting with Woods and we hope we can come to an arrangement which meets both their needs and in terms of our policies on infrastructure and affordable housing."

Published Tuesday January 6, 2004

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