A representative from Gazeley Properties, which owns and manages Magna Park, spoke at Lutterworth Town Council's meeting when he laid out the firm's plans and ambitions for expansion.

He said Gazeley would like to increase the size of the park by about 100 acres.

In exchange, the firm would contribute money towards an eastern relief road.

Speaking after the meeting on April 11, Don Morgan, Gazeley planning and development director, said: "We don't know what an eastern bypass would cost yet, so I am not saying we would fund the entire cost of a scheme.

"Any money we did put towards it would be within the realms of a planning application.

"But the timescale is in the hands of Harborough District Council because we need them to allocate that land for employment uses."

Mr Morgan said the firm was not yet in a position to say how much Gazeley would pay because plans had not yet been drawn up.

The contribution would be in the form of a section 106 agreement, which is cash paid by developers to improve the infrastructure of the area.

County councillor Rosita Page said the firm was raising hopes about something that might never happen.

She added: "I think Gazeley is dangling a carrot in front of people to get their support.

"But people in Lutterworth are wise to those tactics.

"Under national guidelines, Gazeley would have to give money to the area to improve it."

Town councillor Ken Seymour said the town council had asked county council officers to consider the possibility of an eastern relief road.

He added: "We gave them a significant amount of information a week ago and requested that they take a serious look at it.

"On Magna Park, it's important to remember that Gazeley is not being philanthropic by promising this money. All large developments have to have a section 106 element."

Leicestershire County Council is carrying out a £15,000 study looking at relieving Lutterworth's traffic problems.

Officers are examining the viability of an eastern relief road as well as the completion of the western relief road.

The Mail asked the county council whether Gazeley's possible contribution to a traffic scheme would be taken into consideration.

A spokesman for the council said: "We will look at all serious options for taking traffic out of the town centre but it would not be right to comment on the reported offer from Magna Park until full discussions are held with them.

"We intend to finish the study by this summer."