THE owner of a residential and nursing home in Chatburn has been given the go-ahead to build a 16-bedroom extension.

Ribble Valley Council's planning and development committee heard the Manor House Nursing Home in Bridge Road needed extra bedrooms and a conservatory.

Owner Janet Harrison told the meeting there had been a steady decline in the number of care beds available in Ribble Valley because of home closures.

She said: "Ribble Valley has a larger than average elderly population and failure to meet the rising demand for care beds will lead to a lack of choice for elderly clients.

"Expectations of clients have increased and most people now expect en-suite facilities, which means bedrooms have to a be a lot larger, particularly to accommodate hoists and wheelchairs.

"Converting our existing bedrooms will mean having to lose eight of them, so we need to extend the property to accommodate the loss. The extension will allow us to build an additional sixteen single bedrooms."

Councillors heard the development would secure employment for the home's 55 staff and provide a further 10 jobs.

But local resident James Wallbank claimed the extension would be the size of a small factory and cast a shadow across his home in Bridge Street.

Chatburn Parish Council also raised concerns about access to the site along an unmade private road.