DEVELOPERS have been asked to cough up £3,000 as part of a condition for building homes - or face legal action.

Burnley Council is waiting for the cash three years after giving Preston-based Rocketfine Homes permission to build on the site of a former care home.

Lancashire County Council sold Whiteacres Home for the Elderly to the private developer in 1998 and Burnley Council granted planning permission for residential development of the site, on condition that road safety was improved on Clevelands Road.

However, locals and the council said they had not received any money to pay for road signs, including notifying drivers of a ban on heavy goods vehicles, and other improvements.

Roger Williams, of Clevelands Road, said: "I understand that HGVs have been banned from Clevelands and Springhill Road but unfortunately the lorry drivers are not aware of this, because no signs have been erected.

"Only a few days ago, two large lorries were head-to-head outside my home. This is a crazy situation."

Planning permission allowing residential development of the Whiteacres site was granted by the council three years ago and the show house is now open.

Mr Williams said the traffic problems would get worse if a proposed change of use for International House went ahead for 200 full-time students to study construction work in Springhill Road.

He said: "As the junction into Manchester Road is so difficult and dangerous. many vehicles will enter and exit via Clevelands Road and Berry Street.

"This will cause a constant flow of traffic and parking problems as there are only 50 parking spaces at International House."

Charles Harris, who has campaigned for many years to improve road safety in the area said: "One would have expected a council which was assessed as 'good' to have procedures in place which concentrate on the enforcement of planning conditions.

"I will be discussing the service we are receiving from the council with my neighbours."

A BurnleyCouncil spokesman said: "When planning permission for the homes was granted, a condition was attached that the developer had to submit a scheme outlining what highway improvement works they would carry out in the vicinity of the site.

"The council have indicated that a contribution of £3,000 towards the cost of signs highlighting the weight restriction in Clevelands Road, may be appropriate to satisfy the condition. The developer has not yet agreed to pay for the signs and has not come back with an alternative scheme.

"We have written to the developer to say they should comply with the condition as a matter of urgency." Rocketfine were today unavailable for comment.