Plans for a controversial housing estate near to Bowland View in Brierfield look set to move a step closer

The scheme on land to the east of Bowland View was given outline permission by the borough’s planning committee in May 2020 despite objections.

Now Cross Construction Ltd of Cross House, Colne Road, Brierfield is seeking approval for the ‘reserved’ details of the estate and houses.

The application site is a field located adjacent to Brierfield. The land is within the open countryside.

To the west is the south is the rear of Sunningdale Gardens to the north is open land, to the east is open land and dwellings at Little Tom’s Farm and to west are dwellings on Bowland View and Stoneyhurst Height.

The proposed layout of the estate shows detached and semi-detached dwellings arranged in two cul-de-sacs surrounded by green ‘biodiversity area’ spaces.

Councillors on the planning committee heard that there were objections, including a petition, to the outline permission.

They included inadequate roads, increased traffic, loss of a green space popular for recreational use, impact on the flora present on the site including English bluebell, loss of wildlife habitat used by protected species, insufficient capacity of schools and medical services in the area, loss of privacy and countryside views and the impact on property values.