THE patter of tiny feet could become part of daily life at a Ribble Valley garden centre as council chiefs consider plans for a children’s nursery.

Bosses at Hansons Garden Centre, Whalley Road, Barrow, said the new nursery for 55 children would help ‘balance’ the centre’s income during quiet periods.

The joint application submitted by garden centre chiefs and registered childminder, Keri Jackson, is now being considering by Ribble Valley Council.

The plans include a single-storey building in the five-acre grounds of the centre, which sits at the foot of Pendle Hill, an outdoor play area and 16 car parking spaces.

Mrs Jackson, who already operates a child-minding facility from her home in Whitewell Drive, Clitheroe, approached garden centre bosses after she out-grew her current premises.

The mother-of-three who lives with her husband Warren Jackson said: “I have been turning away lots of parents that need childcare because I do not have any more room.

“If it does come off it is very exciting because it has been in the pipeline for a couple of years and there is a definite need for increased childcare in our area.

“The new nursery is in an idyllic rural setting surrounded by fields and we are hoping to teach the children all about the importance of the natural environment.”

Fourteen full-time jobs and two part-time positions could also be created as part of the proposals for the nursery, which will open between 7.30am and 6pm.

Christopher Hanson, who has owned the garden centre for eight years said: “It is really good for business to have something like this on site.

“It will create a nice environment and we are thinking about bringing the kids into the garden centre so that they can take part in activities.

“It will also contribute to the centre’s income as traditionally throughout the year garden centres have good times and bad ones depending on the season and we are trying to balance out the bad times, especially in the current climate.”