THE leader of Burnley Council today vowed to oppose council officers' recommendations and back a group of Burnley residents fighting against controversial plans for industrial development in their neighbourhood.

Two campaigners spoke out against plans for land off Liverpool Road, Lowerhouse, at a meeting of Burnley Borough Council's executive earlier this week.

The protesters urged councillors to "stand up and be counted" and voice opposition to the proposals.

Today council leader and Lowerhouse councillor Stuart Caddy joined their campaign after planning officers recommended the application for approval.

Coun Caddy said: "It is a disagreement between me and the council planning officers. I want to try to put across the strong views of the residents as well as my own personal views.

"As elected members of the local authority we are told to go out and support our communities and that is exactly what I intend to do."

Campaigners have been fighting plans to develop the site for several years.

The latest proposals for warehouses and industrial development are to go before the development control committee next week, when councillors are expected to delegate the plans for approval by planning officers.

Susan Cartan, who runs Development, Ecology, Environment and Recreation in Lowerhouse, said she was concerned the development would affect a nearby nature reserve and that Burnley's green spaces were gradually being eroded.

She added: "I am asking that the council represent the people they stand for and oppose this. They must have had feelings for this town when they stood as councillors and I want them to get back to that."

Donnie Doran, of Lowerhouse Lane, added: "This application came as a surprise to the vast majority of residents in the area, so much so that we have not had adequate time to put together a case against it and it appears will not be given that time."

Mr Doran voiced concerns that the site would be based opposite Lowerhouse primary school, endangering children, and called for a full environmental impact into the scheme before it was given the go-ahead.