AN APPLICATION for four houses in Ben Lane, Barnoldswick, has been refused because of flood risk and highways concerns.

West Craven Area Committee rejected the outline application before a packed meeting at Salterforth Village Hall last Tuesday.

"I have to say I'm very surprised, given there are 27 objections, that Pendle recommended approval of this application," said resident, Philip Oldfield.

He added the architect "made no bones about building future developments to the north east and the north west", which he claimed could result in an additional 12 to 20 dwellings.

"That is an awful lot of traffic on a single track lane," he said. "This road is used as a pedestrian thoroughfare by children and parents. What about the safety of that particular strata of people?"

He added the field is also outside the development boundary of Barnoldswick.

"Pendle made this recommendation with scant regard of the residents and knowledge of the local area," added Mr Oldfield.

"This is purely a numbers game," said another resident, Mike Scothern. "It's all about Pendle hitting its housing targets. There will be so many detrimental effects to the neighbourhood."

Mr Scothern said increased traffic would make the road more dangerous for residents and people accessing the development via Ben Lane.

"TPOs exist on two large trees in the area, both of which have trunks in excess of one metre in diameter," he added. "When these trees are in leaf, vision is obscured."

Resident, Sue Crook, was concerned inadequate drainage could cause flooding.

But speaking on behalf of the applicant, Shelley Coffey said: "It is important to note this site is not in a flood risk zone."

She also said a county highways officer found the proposed access to the site from Ben Lane was acceptable.

Addressing the possibility about future housing near the site, Neil Watson, Pendle Council's planning manager, said councillors could only consider the application before them.

He added: "We have to deliver on housing, and in the future we have to find even more land.

"We can only deliver housing on greenfield sites at the moment as we don't have sufficient land to deliver housing within the settlement boundaries."

Cllr Claire Teale said developers were getting around planning rules by using a "piecemeal approach" to building on the site.

Cllr Ken Hartley added: "I'm particularly worried about highway safety, as there are no footpaths and there are flooding issues in the catchment area."

Committee chairman, Cllr David Whipp, said: "The application states surface water would be dealt with by a soakaway. The site is on the edge of a drumlin field and, by nature, the ground doesn't absorb water. The prospect of a soakaway proposal is inadequate."

Councillors turned down the application because of the "inadequate" way in which the flood risk was dealt with, as well as highways concerns, including the lack of a footway and visibility.

Mr Watson said as the application was recommended for approval, it would be considered by members of the Pendle Council's development management committee at a meeting on February 22, in Nelson Town Hall.