A GROUP of more than 70 people concerned about the scale of housing development in Burnley have called on the council to publish a plan into the issue.

At a meeting at Burnley Golf Club, residents who live near to Hollins Cross Farm, which is subject to an application for 200 homes, demanded a date for the Local Plan to be released.

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The borough council was set to meet this month to talk about the Local Plan after a meeting in December was moved.

The document is a housing framework for the town and it will allocate a variety of sites for potential future developers to build on.

Council bosses said people would be told when the decision-making meetings are arranged.

Martyn Bell, one of the campaigners who co-wrote the initial 40-page objection to the proposal on the farm in Woodplumpton Road, said people needed answers.

He said: “Everyone was steaming mad. It’s absolutely ridiculous. We still don’t know what is going on.

“Around 90 per cent of the town is not aware of the Local Plan and what changes it could bring, not just to the farm but other areas.

“It’s very worrying for people who live near this farm because during the Boxing Day floods, eight inches of water fell across the whole farm, which is millions of gallons of water. It was the equivalent of 68 swimming pools.

“We suffered badly but the ground absorbed most of it.

“If the Local Plan gave the go ahead for the land to be made available for planning, the water would run off the development and straight into Burnley town centre.

“We are going to demand the council give us some information on the plan.”

The document was set to be published at the end of the month with a six-week consultation process.

A council spokesman said: “Officers are continuing to make progress on work to develop the new Local Plan.

“We do understand that the further delay is causing some frustration on the part of some residents and campaigners.

“The Local Plan is one of the most important documents and pieces of work the council is responsible for. Our key concern is carrying out all the work we need to do in a professional and methodical manner.”