PLANS to rebuild a youth centre 26 miles from where it originally stood have been approved by Burnley Council.

Briercliffe Residents' Youth Group made almost 60, 52-mile round trips to the village of Tosside to dismantle and transport an old village hall to Burnley to create their new premises.

The group submitted a planning application to put the building back together on Queen Street recreation ground, Briercliffe, and last night that plan was given the green light by the council's development control committee.

The building, which is being stored in bits on a local farm, is needed because the 40-strong youth group has outgrown its current home in the Jubilee Street Community Centre. Now that the plans have been approved, the building will be shared with the local football team, Briercliffe Rovers.

In a report to the committee, borough planning officers recommended that members backed the proposals, despite the fact that the materials used to make the building were not traditional for the area.

The report stated: "Although the materials are contrary to local plan policies, this must be balanced against the needs for new changing facilities and new youth club premises in the area.

"The building will be placed against a similar, but smaller building, and will be located in the least prominent position on the site.

"Its impact will be reduced by the fencing which, though not ideal for a rural site, is important to the security of the premises." However Steve Walton, chairman of Briercliffe Residents' Youth Group, said funding to put the building up had still not been secured. He said: "We have applications in for funding from various sources and we are being supported in that by Burnley Council and the Police.

"We hope to have around £20,000 in place by the autumn so that we can go ahead with the project."

He said: "It has proved very hard to get funding mainly because Briercliffe does not qualify as a deprived area and so we do not meet a lot of the criteria for grant applications."

Mr Walton also appealed to local firms to support the project. In particular he would like to hear from any building firms who would volunteer to lay the building's foundations.

He said: "Every little bit of support we can get is a great help."