Houses plan in garages site in Barrowford met with opposition

The application, if successful, would see seven terraced homes and two semi-detached properties built in Hamilton Road, Barrowford, between its junctions with Richmond Road and Carr Hall Drive.

The application’s design and access statement said the land is currently occupied by “generally dilapidated” garages as well as around 20 trees of varying species, height and condition, and sits within the Carr Hall Road Conservation Area.

It states: “The proposed development will make viable use of the brownfield site and create additional housing.

“The proposed dwellings will create an additional terrace of seven houses along Hamilton Road and two semi-detached dwellings facing on to Richmond Road.

“The dwellings have been designed to reflect the scale and character of the surrounding development in the locality of the application site.”

These garages could be replaced by houses, and the tree cut down. Pic: Google (Image: google)

Each house would have a driveway for two vehicles, with the terraced homes each having very small rear gardens, and the gardens in the semi-detached homes being slightly bigger.

The terraced homes would have a living room, dining room and downstairs toilet leading off a hallway, with a kitchen to the rear leading to the garden area. Upstairs are two good-sized bedrooms, one box bedroom and a bathroom.

The semi-detached houses have the same layout, but with slightly larger bedrooms and downstairs areas.

Despite an additional 18 vehicles accessing the narrow, terraced streets, the applicant – Zeshan Ali – claims the development “is unlikely to have a negative impact on these roads”, adding it is close to the city centre and has good public transport routes.

The proposed layout of the houses (Image: Pendle Council)

So far, three objections have been made to Pendle Council by the public to the plans, raising issues over damage to wildlife and problems on the roads.

One objector said: “I strongly object to this land being developed.

“Mr Ali has told numerous times he cannot develop because there are protected trees on it.

“There is also an abundance of wildlife such as tawny owls, hedgehogs and bats that live on this site.

“In this time of global warming we should not be cutting down trees and destroying natural environments.

“We are fed up with him doing this, a final decision needs to be made and adhered to once and for all.

“This site needs to stay for the wildlife and more importantly the trees that we need to live!”

Another objector said: “Building houses on Hamilton Road will cause a lot more traffic and cars parked on side of the street. We feel it is already cramped and it will before more congested.

“Also, we feel the houses will overlook into our homes as we are single storey homes. We will lose any privacy we have.”

The third angry resident added: “There is plenty on wildlife which would suffer from this, and the major disruption of building the properties would disturb all neighbouring streets in such an already tightly packed street design.”