NEW homes could be built at the site of a former farm shop, restaurant and farm activity centre, located on green belt land.

Applicant Charles McDermott of Trail Architects, based in Perth, Scotland, is seeking planning permission for the demolition of existing buildings and the construction of 12 homes at the former Roaming Roosters site at Barrowford Road, Higham, near Fence.

Objections have been raised by some people over concerns including traffic, parking spaces, flooding, an alleged lack of local school places, the impact on green belt and wildlife worries.

However, others have supported  the plan, saying it will regenerate a redundant brownfield site and will not create as much traffic as the former farm shop, cafe and activity centre generated.

Pendle Council’s Barrowford & Western Parishes Committee will discuss the application at its meeting tomorrow. Wednesday. 

Under new borough council arrangements, area committees can now only make recommendations about planning applications. Decision-making powers have been removed from area committees under an ongoing council shake-up.

A report to the area committee states: “The application site lies in the green belt. It is previously developed land outside Fence. It has a commercial building that has been disused for some time and is deteriorating.

“Comments have been made by many parties regarding the green belt. Many revolve around the view that the site is in green belt and there should not be any development within it.

“Planning policy nationally restricts development in the green belt as being inappropriate. Where inappropriate development is proposed, permission should only be granted if there are ‘very special planning circumstances’.”