A COLONY of rare newts under threat from a Burnley development is to be saved - by a 'newt barrier' made out of stones and mesh wire.

English Nature has written to Burnley Council to tell them it is happy with its plans to protect a colony of great crested newts at the former Michelin site in Widow Hill Road.

The newts, who like to spend the winter in crevasses in stone walls, will be protected with a stone and wire barrier which will be built before any building work begins.

The plan to save the newts means the redevelopment will go ahead if a planning application is passed.

The great crested newt has suffered a major decline in numbers over the last century and the species has strong legal protection under British and European law.

A spokesman for English Nature said: "We provided Burnley Council with clear recommendations on how the species' requirements should be met and it is very much welcomed that these requirements have been adopted to ensure that the development will proceed in a manner which sensitively protects the colony of newts."

The great crested newt is the UK's largest newt, and can grow up to 6in long. Males have a jagged crest along their black, warty backs and sport an orange underside with black spots.

Despite major declines across the Continent and Britain, parts of the north-west of England still hold populations of great crested newt that are among the densest in Europe.

Sue Graham, head of planning services at Burnley Town Hall said: "The application submitted by North West Development Agency to redevelop the former Michelin site contains with it a 'method statement' saying how the newts will be protected.

"Among the protection methods are barriers made of stones encased in wire mesh, which will be placed on the boundary of the industrial park with the Biological Heritage site.

"This will prevent damage to the newts' habitat while the development is underway, and will be left after the construction is complete because the stones will provide a winter hibernation habitat for the newts .

"The development does not encroach on to the newts' breeding area, which is the wetland to the east of the industrial park."

If permission is granted at a council planning meeting tomorrow it will be conditional on the developer agreeing a scheme to protect and manage their breeding ground.

Brian Jackson, co-ordinator for Pendle Friends of the Earth, said he was "reasonably pleased" with the plans.