THE proposed extension of a holiday caravan park in Salterforth, West Craven, would be out of place in an area will rolling drumlins, a meeting has heard.

There was also concern from councillors at the meeting of Pendle Council that proposed new landscaping to mitigate the additional 61 caravan pitches and new amenity block at Lower Greenhill Farm, off the B6383 Kelbrook Road, would take several years to have any impact.

Councillors at the West Craven Committee meeting, held in Salterforth, went against officer recommendation to approve the scheme and instead refused the application.

Proposals by the owners of the family run business involve the change of use of an agricultural field on a hill to the north west of the park, which is situated between Salterforth and Kelbrook for new pitches, and a shower and amenity block, of 15 metres by 10 metres.

Iain Swain, agent for the applicants said there were no objections from the statutory consultees and urged approval of the scheme which he said would bring visitors and economic benefits to the area.

But Councillor David Whipp while he thought more visitors would be welcomed to businesses such as The Anchor Inn, said he understood there were people on the site using it as their permanent residence and questioned additional pitches would mean more visitors.

It was, he said however the visual impact of the development that most concerned him.

"We do get visitors coming to our area, we do live in a beautiful part of the world and Salterforth is settled amongst the drumlins. The proposed development would be an intrusive element in an otherwise picturesque view," he said.

Cllr Whipp, who moved refusal of the scheme, said instead of drumlins, people would see a 'line of pitches with up to 61 caravans'.

Cllr Mike Goulthorp asked about the proposed landscaping to mitigate the impact of the development and was told whips - one to two year old seed grown trees - were proposed, and not mature trees, but a condition could be added to insure mature trees were used.

Planning manager, Neil Watson, said the additional pitches 'for a few years would be very visible' and said an enhanced planting scheme could be asked for.

Cllr Goulthorp's amendment that the scheme be approved, subject to an enhanced landscaping plan, was lost.

The scheme was then refused on grounds of its impact and significant harm to the landscape.

In October, 2019 a Government planning inspector over-ruled Pendle Council and allowed 36 holiday lodge caravans and 20 touring caravan pitches at the site. At the time, there was permission for 42 touring pitches and 30 static caravans. The site owners also won a partial award of costs after the inspector found 'unreasonable behaviour' by the council.