FEARS that a controversial new housing development will cause 'chaos and carnage' on a main road into an East Lancashire town have been voiced by its local councillor.

Hyndburn Labour group deputy leader Cllr Melissa Fisher was speaking after the borough's planning committee approved the scheme for 127 new homes on the Clayton Triangle.

Located off Whalley Road in Clayton-le-Moors and bordering the Leeds-Liverpool canal, the six-acre brownfield site is currently derelict buildings.

The proposal for 53 apartments and 74 houses close to Junction 7 of the M65 generated 160 letters of objection mainly about traffic congestion on Whalley Road and the safety of the Hare and Hounds junction.

Clayton-le-Moors Cllr Fisher led opposition to the scheme which was passed with 39 conditions including the creation of a new pedestrian crossing near the junction and an £87,000 payment from Watson Homes towards improvements to the junction. .

She told the meeting: "It is a really busy road and the junction is a nightmare."

Local resident Geraldine Dawson told councillors of her fears over road safety, the potential spread of Japanese Knotweed on the site and their concerns that developer Watson Homes had already started work describing its behaviour as 'devious and untrustworthy'.

Hyndburn Council leader Cllr Miles Parkinson addressed Wednesday's meeting to says that the proposal was the development a 'problematic' brownfield site to provide much-needed 100 per cent affordable housing for the borough.

He said the traffic congestion on Whalley Road and at the Hare and Hounds junction would still be there whether it was approved or not and needed a new relief road to be built.

Clayton-le-Moors Tory Cllr Peter Edwards also addressed the committee expressing concerns about the safety of the Hare and Hounds junction and the congestion the new housing would create.

St Oswald's ward Conservative Cllr Zak Khan said: "We need more housing in Hyndburn. This is a site that needs developing."

Rishton Labour councillor Bernard Dawson said: "We do need new housing but not at any cost."

After the meeting Cllr Fisher said: "Obviously I'm disappointed.

"I sincerely hope the 39 conditions are enforced and my initial suspicions that Whalley Road will turn into chaos and carnage because of the extra traffic caused by the development prove untrue."

Residents spokesman Richard Downie said: "Poor quality housing in a terrible location is not what we need, nor deserve."

Rob Watson, Director at Watson Homes, said: “We have taken community feedback into consideration when developing plans for this site, and we’re confident we will transform the currently derelict land into high-quality and much-needed affordable homes”