A council has approved plans to build 41 new homes on the site of a former quarry, which would involve the demolition of a two-storey detached house, despite letters of objection from residents.

On Wednesday, Rossendale Borough Council's planning committee, approved, with conditions, plans to demolish a two-storey detached dwelling and erect 41 new homes with vehicular access, landscaping/open space and associated works on land south of Blackwood Road in Stacksteads, Bacup.

Planning officers recommended approval of the housing application in January, but stipulated various conditions would need to apply for the plans to be officially approved, including a so-called Section 106 agreement, where the applicant would pay money towards a community asset at the new housing estate along with cash for work to enhance the natural habitat or biodiversity elsewhere in Stacksteads.

A planning report for councillors stated: “Then new homes would be constructed along a new access road off Blackwood Road, with a turning head at its southern end, and around a central area of public open space. 

"The proposed homes would be faced in a combination of reconstituted stone and white render, and would have black UPVC window and doors with painted concrete lintels and sills. Roofs would be reconstituted slate-effect tiles.”

Seven objections and one letter of support were received by the borough council, although comments in support of the plan included the development’s use of unused land, job creation for local people and the use of building materials in keeping with the area.

Key concerns raised when the application was submitted were that the land was unsuitable for housing, fears over harm to nature and the environment, concerns that the housing would not be affordable, traffic and parking issues, land contamination or ground gas, flooding risk, the impact on the area’s appearance, impact on neighbours, pressure on local services and infrastructure, drainage and housing density.

However, at the meeting on Wednesday, the plans were approved with a decision notice stating: "Prior to the commencement of any development on site, full details of the following shall be submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority in writing: a) details of the colour, form and texture of all external facing and roofing materials to the proposed dwellings b) details of the colour, form and texture of all hard ground surfacing materials.

"Notwithstanding the above, the stone used in the construction of the dwellings shall be natural coursed stone, and the roofs shall be natural blue slate.

"The development thereafter shall be constructed utilising the approved materials to ensure that the development is appropriate in terms of visual amenity and to ensure that it responds to the local context of the site."

There were also various other conditions that the developer needs to adhere to before commencing any work, all of which can be found on the planning page on Rossendale Borough Council's website.