PADIHAM Unitarian Church has been given the go-ahead to open a new car park behind its Church Street chapel - despite fierce opposition from neighbours.

The council's development control committee last night also gave listed building consent for changes to a 120-year-old gateway to allow access to the new parking area.

Padiham councillor Paul Smith unsuccessfully called for the delegated permission for the park, given at an earlier meeting, to be withdrawn on the grounds that a new report on the environmental impact of the development on neighbouring properties was "damning".

"It will cause severe harm and disturbance to residents in the area," he told the committee.

And Coun Carole Barber added: "A church is a church, not a car park and we seem to consider the fact that it is in a conservation area only when it suits us.

"I cannot understand why we considered this application in the first place."

Padiham residents addressed members, calling for the applications to be turned down. But Coun Tony Harrison hit back: "This is a church not a night club - there will be no late night banging of doors and shouting and swearing."

And Coun Les Harrison said the chapel provided more activities for young people than any other church in the borough.

Padiham councillor John Greenwood said it was nonsense to suggest the environmental impact on the neighbourhood had not been considered.

The church schoolroom was the best used in Padiham but there was only the tiniest of car parks and more space was needed to get cars off the streets.

"Even in a conservation area things can change for the better and this will harm no one - no one is spoiling anything," he added.

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