A COUNCIL has been blasted for discussing plans for a controversial piece of land "in secret".

The fly-tipped land at Lowerhalgh Farm, Brokenstone Road, Feniscowles has been a thorn in the side of the borough for more than seven years.

About 70,000 cubic metres of rubbish were dumped on the site between 1999 and 2000, to create a golf course that was never completed.

In 2000 Blackburn with Darwen Council issued enforcement notices to force the owners of the land to clean it up.

Despite a court case and the council's recognition it was partly to blame for delays in removing the rubbish, a large amount of waste remains on the site.

Now it has emerged the council tried to withdraw two enforcement notices and an issue one in their place at a behind closed doors meeting.

Campaigners have hit out at council "secrecy".

Peter Griffin, 64, of Wycollar Road, told a planning meeting: "The public should be there to hear what is being said."

David Goss, a Livesey parish councillor, said he suspected the council was trying to water down the enforcement notices.

He added: "We suspect this but we can't get in to find out what's going on."

Mr Goss said "a beautiful piece of land" had been left "looking like a battlefield".

Livesey councillor Alan Cottam added: "I want it back in the open because of the tremendous public interest.

"This was an attempt to sneak it through. It's not the way to run a local authority."

But planning chairman Coun Jim Smith said: "It's for legal reasons.

"If we had the public in there it could prejudice the case.

"It's not about trying to hide anything."