THE future of a plot of land in Lowerhouse, Burnley, will be decided at a local inquiry next month.

The quarter-of-an-acre site near to Greenbrook Methodist Church is now occupied by lock-up garages.

The dispute began when Burnley Council refused a planning application to build three houses on the grounds that it was in an open area without development.

An appeal against that decision was turned down by the Secretary of State.

The owner of the land then served a purchase notice on the council, asking them to buy the land because their refusal to allow houses to be built had made the site of no beneficial use.

Principal planner Paul Skinner said that notice was rebutted by the council who felt the site still had a beneficial use because it could still be used for lock-up garages.

The Secretary of State again upheld Burnley's decision.

Mr Skinner said: "There is a further right of appeal to the owner of the land and that is the position we are at now."

An inspector instructed by the Secretary of State for the Environment will chair a local inquiry at Burnley Town Hall on Tuesday, August 15 into the Secretary of State's proposal not to confirm the purchase order.

Mr Skinner added: "It is rare for this kind of local inquiry to be held and the first I know of in Burnley."