CALLS have been made for a public meeting to be held to discuss £300,000 earmarked for controversial scrapped plans for five-a-side football pitches.

Hyndburn Council has confirmed plans to build three all-weather football pitches near Bank Mill House, off Church Street in Great Harwood, have been called off, 12 months after they were approved.

The controversial plans submitted by Hyndburn Leisure Trust faced 34 objections at the time for reasons such as anti-social behaviour concerns and noise and light pollution.

The project had £300,000 earmarked for it, which council bosses have now put by for the former youth centre on nearby Lowerfold Road if Lancashire County Council agrees to transfer the building to Hyndburn Leisure Trust.

However Great Harwood’s Patrick McGinley, who was one of those leading campaigns against the plans, has called for a meeting to give the public a say.

The chairman of the Hyndburn Conservative Association said: “I am personally delighted to have played a significant personal role along with local residents in petitioning Hyndburn Council to finally reverse their decision.

“This £300,000 should surely be spent on providing facilities for our local young people at facilities in our township.

“What about the cubs; guides; brownies; scouts, dancing groups – and many others – who would benefit so much with an injection of cash and enhance the atmosphere of our wonderful town.

“We need something doing, we have more kids on the street than we should have.

“Let’s have a public community meeting, let the people have their say.”

Proposals were initially submitted in 2016 for three caged 3G football pitches with floodlights.

The former youth centre in Lowerfold Road was shut by county hall bosses as part of budget cuts in 2016.

Council leader Miles Parkinson said: “The £300,000 for Hyndburn Leisure has been earmarked for use of that building or for the Leisure Trust to do something to that building to make it reopen and the Great Harwood borough councillors fully support that.

“We are now waiting until Lancashire County Council’s cabinet make a decision whether they will support Hyndburn leisure and transfer control of it.”