Residents draw up battle plan against application to build new homes on Padiham beauty spot

Neighbours are so against a plan to build six detached bungalows on the area known as Craggs Farm they banded together to pay for a planning consultant to put a document together listing all their objections which have to be made by Monday.

One of their main objections to the scheme in Vicarage Avenue is that the submitted plan cannot show safe access to the development due to the steep gradient of the access road.

Padiham town councillors are also opposing the development which they have said would be built at 'one of the most hazardous traffic spots in Padiham.'

In the report prepared by Burnley based Kirkwell Town Planning Consultants the layout of the development is described as 'haphazard,' bearing no resemblance to the character of the surrounding area.

The report describes the proposed six detached bungalows as an 'incongrous insertion' that would harm the character and appearance of the area.

It also points out that if the bungalows were built residents living in Whalley Road would overlook them and be able to see into the new homes.

A public meeting to discuss the plan was held this week at Padiham Cricket Club and around 60 people attended.

A former Mayor of Padiham Coun. Andy Tatchell said residents from across the town were against the plan for the patch of land, known as Craggs Farm, and wanted to present a watertight case against it.

He said: "The grounds for objecting to this scheme have be based on planning grounds so that is why we have employed a professional planning consultant."

The application was madejust two months after the site was cleared, leaving residents angry as the area has long been acknowledged as a 'natural beauty spot' with an abundance of wildlife and vegetation including bats, owls, wild flowers, lilac, trees and even deer in the summer months.

Concerns were raised about what would happen to the site at the time so the new planning application came as a blow to residents.

The area is part of the Huntroyde Estate and lies in a triangle between Blackburn Road, Vicarage Avenue and Whalley Road. There is a building known as Craggs farmhouse on the western boundary.

The site was not included in Burnley's Local Plan, which was adopted last year and sets out the overall strategy for development up to 2032.

Several neighbours living close to the site, who rent their gardens from Huntroyde Estates, are worried how this will affect them as the leases are on a short term basis.

Padiham Town Council has also objected to the scheme pointing out that the entry point is 'one of the most hazardous traffic spots in Padiham.'

Town councillors are also arguing that Padiham has more than sufficient provision of new and already planned housing stock with around 400 new properties springing up on the former Perseverance Mill, Station Road and former Baxi sites.

The town council has also said the site could be a potential flood risk due to the number of trees that have already been removed from the area.

Lancashire County Council has also expressed concerns about parking and access issues.

In 2007 an application to build a 60 bed care home was turned down and in 2017 a second application for 20 houses on the site was also given the red light.