CONCERNS are mounting that a green edge of Colne is once again being earmarked for development.

The Lidgett & Beyond campaign group believes that land known as the Rough, off Skipton Old Road, is being targeted by developers planning to build 360 houses.

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Last year, Blackburn-based Beck Developments expressed an interest in developing the land and held a public consultation at Colne Cricket Club where they showed plans to build 270 homes on the same plot.

But after the consultation, the developers withdrew the plans.

The group now fears a new planning application, for 360 homes, could be submitted to Pendle Borough Council in the new year, so is calling for concerned people to get involved now in any coming campaign.

It is feared that under the scheme, land between Windermere Avenue, Skipton Old Road and Castle Road could be built on.

A small portion of the land falls within a conservation area and a site of special settlement character, which campaigners believe would help to protect it against being earmarked for potential development.

But they are worried about homes being built on other parts of the site.

Owen Oliver, chairman of the Lidgett & Beyond group, said that members would do everything in their power to stop development on the site.

He said: “We have been given information that we believe to be very reliable — that a planning application will be put in to Pendle council for 360 homes in the new year.

“We want to get the message out to as many people as possible about this before it reaches the formal planning stage.

“When the public consultation was held, I think they were taken aback by how well organised we were and how many people are opposed to building on the land.

“The original plans for 270 homes in the space were bad enough — but putting 360 in the same place is ludicrous.

“The road access is not suitable for the volume of traffic it would bring, never mind the pressure on doctors, over-subscribed schools and other amenities.

“If this goes ahead we believe that it will cause ten years of misery with building work.

“Our group now has 700 members and we are ready to defend the land whatever it will take.

“We have been doing so for 40 years — we are not amateurs at this.

“We aim to have a leaflet campaign between Christmas and the new year.

“We are going to hold a protest meeting soon.”

Development plans for the area were first seriously mooted five years ago when residents started a poster campaign to try to stop proposals to build homes on the green edge.

People were encouraged to display the posters in their windows in order to show their opposition.

The proposals had been put forward as part of Pendle council’s local development framework.

But local councillors had been opposed to planned housing schemes in the area for decades.

No-one from Beck Developments was available for comment.