'Our village is not a town' – Burnley councillor on why he voted against new homes plan

Speaking after plans to build 28 homes at Butchers Farm in Worsthorne were rejected at last week's Development Control Committee, Coun. Scott Cunliffe said the right decision had been made.

Planning officer Janet Filbin had recommended the scheme be approved, however councillors rejected her advice, and the application, over concerns at the lack of measures to keep carbon emissions from the new homes low.

Coun. Cunliffe went even further when stating his reasons for rejecting the proposals.

"I voted against this application as there is no support for sustainable travel to and from Worsthorne as requested in the Local Plan (Policy IC5), there are insufficient plans to incorporate measures to minimise energy and water consumption (Policy SP5 1a and 1c), and for the lack of health and education infrastructure in our village to support major housing developments (Policy IC5).

"If applicants and planners are adamant that our village becomes a new town then bring the social and community infrastructure we will all need to absorb the hundreds of houses slated to be built here in the Local Plan."