THE owner of a woodland burial site in the “Green Belt” has been given permission to create a bedroom to increase security despite an objection from the local parish council.

Chris Gore will now convert the office at the administration block at The West Pennine Remembrance Park, Entwistle Hall Lane in Turton into residential overnight accommodation for himself or an overseer.

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He asked Blackburn with Darwen borough planning committee to allow the change at the 12-year-old woodland burial site but North Turton Parish Council objected on the grounds that it is “inappropriate within the green belt”.

The councillors ruled that as there were no external alterations to the building the change of use could go ahead.

Sudell Liberal Democrat councillor Paul Browne described the objection as “disgusting” and unnecessary.

He told his fellow committee members: “Can we bring the members of North Turton Parish Council for a briefing about planning law? “They are clueless about it.”

North Turton Parish Council vice-chairman Paul Rigby said: “Cllr Browne is entitled to say what he wants.

“The application was to allow someone to sleep on site overnight which was not the original intention when the park was created.”

North Turton with Tockholes Tory councillor Colin Rigby said: The parish council is entitled to make its views known to the council.

“It is for the committee to make its decision based on planning law.

“The parish council often has greater local knowledge than the committee which it is is entitled to pass on to councillors.”

Senior planning officer Gavin Prescott said Mr Gore wanted to have overnight accommodation on site in case anti-social or criminal activity caused damage to the remembrance park.

He said: “He wants to be able to provide 24-hour security on site.”

He told the councillors that despite the park being in the protected green belt countryside around Darwen, the conversion of exiting buildings was permitted in some circumstances.

Mr Prescott added: “Since the proposal is to operate in connection with the existing use of the site, the principle of the development is considered acceptable.”

The committee gave planning permission subject to the condition that the proposed bedroom and bathroom were only used by park overseers.

The West Pennine Remembrance Park is a private woodland burial site opened to the public in 2002.

It won the Cemetery of the Year Award 2003.

Mr Gore was unavailable for comment.