Burnley reneges on rejection of 147 homes
Siding with the advice of the legal and planning officers, councillors voted to approve applications from Seddon Homes and Applethwaite.
Both applications focused on land allocated for housing in Burnley Council’s local plan: Seddon’s 111-home scheme is situated on 12 acres off Rossendale Road and Applethwaite’s 36-home project is on nearly four acres off Heckenhurst Avenue.
Both had been rejected by the council’s development control committee because of the impact the new homes would have on the local schools and health services.
This objection was contrary to the feedback from statutory consultees and the local plan for the area. Both developers had agreed to provide funds for more secondary school spaces as part of their plans, with Applethwaite also contributing £100,000 for road safety improvements.
While a block of councillors maintained their rejection stance on Wednesday, the bulk of the group opted to go with the officer recommendation and approve the two projects. This came after an extended private session where councillors were presented with legal advice.
Councillors also took steps to change the local authority’s policy on how it handled decisions like this.
Under the previous Burnley Council policy, any decision contrary to the local plan had to go before the full council.
Now, applications that are rejected contrary to the local plan will go before the development control committee for a second time before the decision is finalised. This will provide time for councillors to reconsider making such a risky decision.
Want to learn more about Seddon and Applethwaite’s plans? You can learn more about Seddon’s project by searching FUL/2021/0691 on Burnley Council’s planning portal. For information on Applethwaite’s proposals, use reference number FUL/2022/0629.
The system desperately needs to change throughout England. We spend hundreds of thousands of pounds of resident’s money preparing a Local Plan and then local councillors, often ill-informed and having spent all of 5 minutes learning about the proposal, will vote to refuse on a whim, or make something up despite compliance with their own Local Plan. I’m glad common sense prevailed in this case, but it shouldn’t be this difficult to create homes and grow the economy.
By Anonymous
Its refreshing to see that a sensible decision has been reached without the need of a costly appeals process. The fact that it took the ramifications being explained to Members behind closed doors is dismaying. The fact there are Members who wanted to refuse despite the ramifications being explained is unforgivable.
By Mis-Manager
Right call, but perhaps they should also mirror the same policy when going against officers reccomendations in general. Considering the majority of refusals against officers reccomendations are overturned at appeal regardless.
By Anonymous
It’s probably upset Gordon (nimby) Birtwistle
By Boogie
People agree that more houses are needed,but not in my backyard.
By Anonymous
It is destruction of the environment,green land being destroyed by this council when Burnley’s population is falling,it is happening all around Burnley,don’t they think about the damage to the natural world,habitat loss,why do they think wildlife is disappearing all over the world? Because of actions like this,it is depressing and sickening to see,Rosedale rd looks like a battle field as far as the eye can see
By Peter walton
@Peter Walton – complete and utter nonsense. Census data shows that Burnley’s population grew by 8.8% between 2011-2021. That’s the 4th highest growth rate of all local authority areas within the North West!
By Anonymous
When do they intend to start the development off Rossendale road?
By Anonymous