Victory for residents in battle to stop 'greenbelt houses'

Dozens of residents descended on Nelson Town Hall to express their opposition to an application relating to land off Halifax Road, Nelson, and the back of King’s Causeway, which had been earmarked for 36 new houses.

Brierfield Area Committee had already refused the application for a number of reasons including highway safety, land stability, flooding issues and the need to protect the limited green space in the area.

Pendle Council’s Policy and Resources Committee, which had the final say when it met on Tuesday evening, went against officer recommendations and refused the application.

The decision was welcomed by residents who had been concerned that the development would lead to the loss of greenbelt land regularly used by dog walkers and residents.

Mr Ali Ahmed, who lives in Edge End Avenue, said: “We are delighted that councillors on the committee have seen sense and rejected this plan. It would have meant the loss of a well-used piece of land by the local community, and the additional pressure on local services.”

Councillors agreed that development would result in the unacceptable loss of a prominent greenfield site which “currently makes a significant contribution to the landscape character of the area.”

Members of the committee also said that the proposed development would increase demand for school places, the applicant, Liberata, had not agreed to a planning obligation to offset the impact of the development on demand for school places and had “failed to demonstrate that such a planning obligation would make the development undeliverable.”