Controversial Burnley housing schemes passed after debate

The two schemes off Rossendale Road and west of Heckenhurst Avenue in Brownside had been refused by the authority's development control committee, against the advice of planning officers.

They had then been referred to Wednesday night's Full Council meeting on the advice of legal boss, Catherine Waudby, for final determination because she believed they contravened the authority's local plan.

After a lengthy debate, the meeting voted to reverse the development control committee's decision and approve the estates.

The scheme for 111 houses on 12 acres of pasture off Rossendale Road, Burnley, will be developed by Seddon Homes Limited.

The plan for 36 new homes on the site of a former reservoir west of Heckenhurst Avenue in Brownside has been proposed by developer Applethwaite Ltd,

At the start of the four-hour meeting Nicola Dean - a resident of the Brunlea Heights estate next to the Seddon Homes proposal - pleaded with councillors to endorse the development control committee decision on grounds of traffic, road safety and environmental impact including on birds and wildlife.

Karl Walker, from Seddon Homes, told the councillors the proposal was a high-quality development that met the demands of the local plan, and which included measures to allay nearby residents' concerns.

Coal Clough with Deerplay Liberal Democrat Cllr Gordon Birtwistle said he would vote against approving the scheme for the second time, which he said was 'unsustainable' on grounds of its impact on highway safety, and local services such as GP surgeries and schools.

Conservative group leader Cllr Alan Hosker said he too would repeat his vote against the proposal, saying it was 'common sense' to do so, adding: "Burnley's Local Plan is nothing but a joke."

Green group leader and the authority's growth boss, Cllr Scott Cunliffe, said he would join them adding: "The Local Plan is becoming obsolete."

However, Labour councillors Gail Barton and Sue Graham supported approving the 'well-designed' scheme.

When it came to debating the Heckenhurst Avenue estate Deborah Smith, representing Applethwaite, said the project aligned with the local plan and was 'well-designed on an allocated housing site".

Cllr Cunliffe, who had moved rejection at the development control committee, said there was plenty of evidence the proposed new estate was unsustainable on a variety of grounds including flood risk, highway safety and poor accessibility,

The meeting - which went into private session to debate confidential legal advice - voted to approve both estates after a warning from Ms Waudby that rejection could leave the council with a large costs bill if either or both were successfully appealed.

Later in the meeting, councillors voted to abandon the system of referring development control committee decisions deemed contrary to the local plan to full council, in favour of referring them back to the committee with detailed legal and financial advice.

Cllr Birtwistle said after the meeting: "I am very, very disappointed with the decisions on Rossendale Road and Heckenhurst Avenue.

"It seems the only expert advice we don't take is that from local residents.

"I am pleased we have dropped the referral of DC decisions to Full Council. That system should never have been brought in in the first place."