Decision expected on controversial plans for Briercliffe housing development

The application, which will go before Burnley Council's Development Control Committee and has been recommended for approval, is a re-submisison of a similar application that was refused in November.

The original plan, which would have seen 130 new homes built on greenfield land north of Higher Saxifield Street and Standen Hall Drive in Briercliffe, was thrown out on traffic grounds.

However, developers Countryside Homes Northwest resubmitted the application dropping the number of proposed houses to 117.

The council's planning committee rejected the application after hearing evidence from an independent highways expert, appointed by the residents to challenge Lancashire County Council's highways assumptions.

Aggrieved nearby homeowners had earlier stated they believed the area was already on the verge of becoming overpopulated and to build further homes would only increase the strain on surrounding infrastructure.

Briercliffe Parish Council's planning committee remains opposed to the application.

In a report compiled by members, reasons for objecting the plans were listed and include an increase in traffic, school places, loss of habitat and impact on neighbouring allotments.

Ward councillor Margaret Lishman had also backed the residents in their fight.

In a statement to the council the applicant stated: "We remain firmly of the view that the development of 130 dwellings on the site would not have a severe adverse impact on highway safety or the local transport network as a result of the additional vehicular movements generated by the proposals.

"However, to appease the council’s and residents’ concerns, we have reduced the number of dwellings from 130 to 117 homes, which is lower than the allocation for 120 dwellings.

"The reduction in numbers will result in a lower traffic generation with a lesser impact on local transport infrastructure. As such, the proposed development would not have a severe impact on the highway network."