COUNCILLORS overturned a controversial freeze on housebuilding to allow a care home owner to develop his land to fund an extension to his business.

Members of Hyndburn Council's planning committee rejected the officer's recommendation refusing Ray Pullinger permission to build three four-bedroom detached properties in the grounds of Hollin Bank House, Oswaldtwistle.

But they attached a condition linking the build to an already approved two-storey extension to the care home, in Blackburn Road.

Although the final stipulation has yet to be finalised, they said they did not want a situation arising where the homes are sold and the extension has not been built.

The recommendation was based on a new policy of refusing planning applications for housebuilding to alleviate over-development.

There are active permissions for 640 houses to be built in Hyndburn, and the council has been advised through the Joint Lancashire Structure Plan (JLSP) to reduce its annual build from 200 to 110.

That would mean 1,850 houses built in the borough between 2001 and 2016, the years covered by the JLSP. The allocation in the current Lancashire Structure Plan, which runs until 2006, is 3,100 houses.

The majority Conservative councillors agreed the case had 'special circumstances' and voted in favour of Mr Pullinger.

Deputy leader Coun Jim Dickinson, said: "I am prepared to go along with special circumstances. A care home that has been in business for 20 years should be preserved."

Coun Janet Storey said: "We do not want a situation arising where the homes are built and occupied and the extension has not even started."

Coun Brian Walmsley said: "I can't go along with the officer's recommendation. One of our biggest problems in that area is fly-tipping and if these houses are built it will improve that area."

Mr Pullinger said: "I am pleased we got permission, but I am not pleased that it is connected to another application.

"We will go forward and check the cost of it to see if it is viable to continue. but I think that it is grossly unfair to stop all applications made before they changed the rules, that is retrospective."

Councillor Edith Dunston was one of the four Labour councillors who voted in favour of the freeze being upheld.

She said: "The three four-bedroom houses are residential, they are no way related to a residential care home.

"This new planning we have to adhere to means it does not come into these special circumstances."

Chief planing and transport officer Brendan Lyons said: "There is currently an excessive supply of housing land within the borough and the development of this site for residential purposes would add to the number of housing completions, within the borough which is already exceeding the completion rates."