New homes look set to be built on part of a problem-plagued East Lancashire former industrial site.

Burnley Council has renewed Baxi Heating UK Limited's May 2020 outline planning permission for 40 houses on its Potterton boiler factory site on land to the south of Grove Lane in Padiham.

In 2018, Homes England bought much of the site with a view to construct up to 300 homes, but then fell foul of flooding problems from the River Calder and Green Brook.

Despite a £4.9 million grant for new flood defences and improvements to Padiham town centre, the land is now considered unsuitable for housing and is being considered for green leisure use.

However, Baxi still want to build homes on the north-western section of the former factory, which is elevated above the remainder of the site.

This month's meeting of Burnley Council's development control committee approved the renewed planning application for the 40 houses, subject to the firm making a contribution to be negotiated, towards education and affordable homes in the borough.

An officer's report to councillors said: "The proposal seeks outline permission, including approval for access, for a residential development up to 40 dwellings on a long stretch of 1.99 hectares of land at the former Baxi site at the easterly edge of Padiham.

"Outline planning permission on this site for up to 40 dwellings has been previously approved but lapsed in May this year.

"The current application is similarly for outline approval for up to 40 dwellings with a new access from Grove Lane.

"The site is currently being partly occupied by a temporary office building occupied by the Environment Agency as part flood defence works in Padiham.

"Seven letters of objection have been received from neighbouring properties on Grove Lane.

"Objections include increased traffic on an overcrowded lane, impact of vibrations from lorries on properties on Grove Lane; increase in noise and disturbance on what was once a quiet lane; impact on privacy; impact on wildlife; and the site should be a wetland to help towards reducing the risk of flooding in Padiham.

"It is now known that the south side of the application site is part of a scheme that is being prepared by the Environment Agency to provide flood protection measures in Padiham.

"The outline application is for up to 40 dwellings.

"This was previously accepted as an appropriate amount of development.

"This would lead to a density of approximately 20 dwellings per hectare which is a relatively low density development but reflects the constraints of the site."