A PROPOSED development of 19 bungalows for the over 55s in Barnoldswick has been opposed by town councillors.

The development planned for a three acre field off Brogden Lane should be rejected on the grounds of highways safety, the potential of flooding, and because of nearby heritage assets, agreed the meeting of Barnoldswick Town Council.

Councillor Jayne Mills told the online meeting yesterday (Wednesday) there were also more even ancient links to consider, such as the old Ribchester to Ilkley Roman road which runs along the border of the proposed site, and that it was possible that the land, within a drumlin area, could have been farmed in medieval times, as it bore characteristics of ancient enclosed fields.

She said: “Brogden Lane comes out onto Gisburn Road and it is a bad access. Cars are parked on both sides of Gisburn Road and it is difficult to get out without nudging out into the middle of the road,” adding that Brogden Lane was used by tractors, walkers and horseriders as well as usual traffic.

A resident against the development urged the council t the meeting to oppose the application on flooding grounds, commenting that a survey carried out at the site had not given the correct picture.

Developer Applethwaite Ltd in its application to Pendle Council, the planning authority, says that there is a proven need for ‘age restricted bungalows in the area’.

It says the two and three bedroom homes will be sold on the open market, and included in the scheme will be an ‘attenuation basin’ which is designed to prevent flooding by storing large volumes of rainwater while also functioning as an ‘informal residential amenity space’.

In its submissions to the council, it refers to a previous application for 24 houses on the site which was submitted in 2016 before being withdrawn a few months later by the applicant after it was ‘unable to overcome drainage issues’.

Applethwaite claims those drainage issues have now been resolved, and it has included a revised drainage strategy in its scheme. It also points out that the previous application had the support of council planning officers and that there had been no planning objections.

The submission reads: “The housing market offers limited choice for people over 55 and age-restricted general market bungalows enable older people to live safely, comfortably and independently in their own homes for as long as possible.”

The application is likely to decided by the West Craven Area Committee of Pendle Council, but it could also end up at the Development Committee at Policy and Resources.