A MOTORHOME and vehicle hire centre is set to move into Osw-aldtwistle after councillors gave the green light.

Hyndburn Council planning officers had recommended that Priory Rental’s application to open up on land at the former Badge Brow Service Station, in Union Road, be refused after concerns were raised about light- ing and fencing at the site.

But, at a meeting this week, permission was granted by councillors, subject to conditions.

A dwarf wall must now be built, topped by shrubbery to help hide a 2.4m-high mesh fence, which will now be moved.

Rishton councillor Harry Grayson, chairman of the meeting, said: “The application was acc-epted on condition. It was agreed to move the fence back a metre and build a dwarf wall, with shrubs on top, to cover the area up.

“There were a number of issues, including lighting and the vis- ual amenities and, obviously, both of these were overcome.”A report to the planning comm- ittee said: “The fencing to the boundary fronting Badge Brow is not highly visible, being screened by vegetation, whilst the fencing to the rear and north is not in a particularly intrusive location.

“The site itself is in a highly-prominent location however, with Union Road being the main route through Oswaldtwistle and Oswaldtwistle Mills, the borough’s largest tourist attraction, is opposite the site.

“The fencing therefore, by reason of its height and design in this location, is considered to have a detrimental impact on the visual amenity of the area and the street scene.”

Priory Rental’s owner Emma Carter recently wrote to res-idents in the area. In her letter, she said: “Due to the luxury motorhomes which will be on site, we are bound by our insur-ance company to comply with certain security measures.”

Local resident Adam White objected to the plans, telling the council, in a letter, his family ‘did not want to spend their lives looking at a caravan site’.