THREE rundown houses off Fallbarn Road in Rawtenstall could be demolished and replaced by five detached homes if planning permission is given.

Rossendale Council will consider granting outline permission for the development tomorrow at the meeting of the development control committee.

Five letters of objection have been submitted to the council, pointing out that access is substandard and parking for residents' vehicles already constrained.

The objectors also stress that only one of the three houses has been occupied recently so the re-development would increase traffic; there should be traffic calming measures put in place in Fallbarn Crescent; the buildings to be demolished are of architectural and historic value and should be preserved, and the mains water supplies to existing properties are low pressure.

Rossendale Civic Trust has also opposed the proposed demolition on the grounds that it would result in the loss of architecturally interesting buildings of historical value and possibly designed by Richard Williams, the architect of Horncliffe House, Hardman Mill and many others in Rawtenstall and Holcombe.

But planning officers said that all three buildings were in a poor state with structural defects which put in to doubt their economic future.

English Heritage will not be listing the buildings which has left the way open for demolition.