A MAJOR new housing development in Accrington will be put back before councillors after a requirement for affordable housing was mistakenly missed.

Earlier this year, Hyndburn Council’s planning committee granted permission for 46 new homes off Miller Fold Avenue in the town, subject to a Section 106 agreement for bin provision, ecology and open space.

But due to a slight oversight in the recommendation to planning committee, the requirement to include 20 per cent affordable housing in the legal agreement was omitted.

Now an extraordinary meeting of the committee has been scheduled for Monday in a bid to rectify the mistake.

Officers are also requesting that delegated powers is given to the chief planning and transportation officer, Simon Prideaux, to finalise the wording of the conditions.

The land was previously a landfill site but has not been used for many years.

Gleeson focuses solely in building low cost homes for people on low incomes in areas of industrial decline and social and economic deprivation.

As part of the planning permission, Gleeson will be required to stump up £30,000 for ecology, £15,000 towards public open space and a further £5,750 for bin provision.

The new estate will consist of 17 two-bedroom homes and a further 29 three-bedroom properties.

At the meeting in October, Gleeson's senior land manager, John Neary, told members the development amounted to a £3.9m investment in Hyndburn.

He added house prices would start at £102,000 and that the firm aimed to make houses affordable for 90 per cent of working couples.

Just five letters of objection were sent to the council citing fears over increased traffic, loss of a public right of way, loss of open views and damage to the environment.

The site put forward for redevelopment is currently vacant, consisting of rough grassland with border hedging and trees.

Gleeson have previously completed other developments in Hyndburn, including in Rishton and Church.

A report to go before the committee states: "Officers consider that the proposal meets with the relevant planning policy in relation to traffic and highway safety, design, scale and layout, housing mix, affordable housing, residential amenity and open space. "However they do not consider that it meets with policy in relation to biodiversity net gain or housing standards as detailed within the report.

"The lack of mitigation in relation to biodiversity net gain weighs significantly against the development.

"On balance however, officers are satisfied with the development and recommend it for approval."