AN URBAN farm is taking shape in the heart of a rundown area of Burnley.

Part of the community garden has already been created close to Stoneyholme Community Nursery School, in March Street.

Now Pennine Lancashire Community Farm - the charity behind the scheme - is seeking permission to complete the facility.

The plans, which have been submitted to Burnley Council, include a wood cabin to house different activities and a garden room building.

Under the scheme four polytunnels, where people, including children, can grow fruit and vegetables, will also be installed.

Children from the local nursery and primary school are able to take part in Grow and Learn sessions.

Stoneyholme Nursery’s engagement in the project helped it achieve an ‘outstanding’ report from Ofsted inspectors.

The charity’s Saturday Kitchen project is aimed at youngsters such as teenagers on the Duke of Edinburgh Awards scheme.

Adults can take part in Health and Wellbeing sessions where they are taught about the benefits of growing fruit and vegetables.

The charity relies largely on volunteers to run the sessions with a handful of full and part time staff members.

Bosses hope to attract hundreds of people from the local community to the garden.

Manager James Horsford said: “It’’s about getting people engaged on the land, understanding where food comes from, and doing something positive. We’re supporting local residents, particularly the ladies, to get access to plots.

“We encourage the Asian community to grow cultural food you might find in Pakistan or Bangladesh.”

The community garden is being created on a former children’s play area, which has been derelict for 10 years after falling foul of vandals.

Coun Zaheer Ahmed said: "Anything that involves local people to get them back outside in the fresh air is a good idea. It would have been nice to redevelop the land as a children's play area but there was too much vandalism. This is the best thing for the site."

Pennine Lancashire Community Farm works with local authorities to create facilities.

It operates a large project on a 200-acre farm at Blacko.

Mr Horsford added: “We would love to create similar models all over Pennine Lancashire.”