RESIDENTS living in Helmshore are preparing to do battle with developers planning to transform the former Airtours headquarters into a massive housing complex.

Objectors have sent a list of questions to Rossendale Borough Council after plans to develop Holmefield House, in Holcombe Road, Helmshore, were deferred by councillors while planners prepare an internal housing policy for Rossendale.

The policy will give councillors the information required to make a more informed decision on a variety of applications.

The residents of Helmshore attended last month's development control meeting and have since formed a protest group. Bellway Homes Ltd and Manchester Land and Buildings Ltd plan to build 86 houses at Holmefield House to create a mixture of apartments, detached, semi-detached and terraced houses, as well as six office units.

Joan Lambourne, spokesperson for the Residents of Holcombe Road, said: "We were somewhat bemused by events surrounding the application. The residents left the last meeting feeling that the objections raised in the meeting had not been discussed. We want to ensure plans are displayed and can be viewed by residents before the meeting as they were not displayed at the last meeting.

"The site has been earmarked for residential use but the report states that this land is for commercial use.

"We want to know what criteria is set out to ensure the safety of existing residents when applications are submitted for this large number of buildings and what procedures are set out to control an increase in traffic.

"The bridge will need to be assessed to accept this traffic as well as the amenities and whether they can cope with additional residents.

"Finally, we are baffled by the fact that at least 60 per cent of the Rossendale quota of new residential development has been in Helmshore when it is clear the amenities are not adequate to cope."

Airtours moved around 1,000 of its workers from the Helmshore headquarters to Rochdale three years ago.

Clive Bolchin, a spokesman for Bellway, said the company wants to meet with objectors and local residents to address their issues.

Daniel Hartley, a Rossendale Borough Council planning officer, said: "The site has been vacant for about a year.

"The decision has been deferred until after Christmas because we are currently preparing an internal housing policy that members will be able to use to help allow them to make more informed decisions."