PLANS to reverse a decision to refuse a 29-home Barnoldswick development have hit a snag over land ownership.

A Barnoldswick councillor said that the controversial planning application for 29 houses on land off Long Ing Lane has been invalidated after it was found that developers, Stirling Investment Properties, did not own all the land.

Cllr David Whipp (Lib Dem, Craven ward) questioned if the boundaries shown on the application were accurate when the plans were unanimously refused at the last meeting of the West Craven Area Committee.

He said checks by the developers revealed that they did not own a strip of land that is part of the proposed building site.

The application has been resubmitted with an amended certificate of ownership and an advertisement has been put out for the unknown landowner to come forward.

“This is a major blunder by the developers,” said Cllr Whipp. “How could they make such an elementary mistake?

“The application now goes back to square one and won’t be considered as expected by Pendle Council’s Development Management Committee at its meeting next Monday (June 23).”

Planners from Pendle Council have confirmed that the application will instead be considered at next month's Development Management Committee.

Neil Watson, Pendle's building and planning control manager, made it clear that it had "nothing to do with land ownership".

"Councillors thought there were defects in the application in terms of access and layout," said Mr Watson. "The application has been referred to the Development Management Committee on July 21, when they will decide to approve or refuse it."

An agent from Indigo Planning has resubmitted the outline application with an amended certificate of ownership and further 21-day consultation will take place. Comments to Pendle Council must be received by council by no later than July 4.

Cllr Whipp said: "Apart from the new copy of ownership, the plans are identical in every way."

He added that the "blunder" has "undermined" how the planning process has been dealt with.

Attempts to contact the developer's agent were unsuccessful.