A PENISTONE Post Office earmarked for closure could get a reprieve if campaigners can prove new development in the area would make it profitable.

Thurlstone, Silkstone Common and Springvale post offices are among the 14 across the borough facing the axe because the network is losing money.

One of the criteria for saving a post office is new development and new houses being built on Green Road, Springvale, and Manchester Road, Thurlstone, means more than a thousand new families would be moving into the area within the next two years.

The future of the branches was the focal point of a public meeting on Wednesday night attended by a post office representative and MP Mick Clapham.

Mr Clapham said it was vital for the Post Office to look at these developments, bus services and at the hills elderly people would have to walk up when reviewing the closures.

Tony White, from Post Office Ltd, said: "We need concrete evidence not just petitions on why a branch should be saved. We need information on local development that will impact on usage and access issues or barriers that prevent people getting to the post office."

After the consultation period, which ends on September 22, the Post Office will look at all appeals before a final decision on the closures is made later in the year.