A BARN conversion scheme which Pendle Council's own conservation officer said would "enhance the landscape" has been blocked by West Craven councillors.

All the professional advice from Pendle's planning, highways and conservations officers went in favour of the scheme at Windlefield Farm, Earby. But councillors kiboshed the plan, claiming it would generate too much extra traffic along a narrow and congested road through the town.

The owners of Windlefield, Mr and Mrs Michael Beresford, had applied for permission to extend the farmhouse into an attached barn and convert two other barns at the farm into houses. Their agent, Andrew Walker, explained that it was no longer a working farm as Mr Beresford had retired, and the land was now managed by a neighbouring farm. That meant there had been a reduction in farm traffic which would balance out any traffic generated by the barn conversions.

Planning officer Janet Holland reported that the council's highways engineer was satisfied with the access arrangements, although it may be desirable to put passing places on the single track private road to the farm, something the applicants were prepared to do.

A report to the West Craven committee added that Pendle's conservation officer had commented that the proposal: "Should enhance the landscape and setting of the buildings... a number of ugly structures and concrete areas are being removed and these historic farm buildings are being repaired and restored with a minimum of alteration to their character."

According to the report, drawn up by the council's planning department, there had been just two letters of objection to the proposal raising a number of points. Most were not planning issues, including claims that "town people would put restrictions on local farmers" and "farms are meant to be farmed, not turned into fancy housing estates for townspeople".

The report recommended the application be granted full planning permission.

But Earby councillor Tim Haigh said the development would feed onto a road in Earby with considerable problems, namely Birch Hall Lane running into Mill Brow Road and then Red Lion Street.

"We have resisted planning applications in the past in that area because of access problems. If we now say more traffic is OK, I can see new pressure being put on us to develop that area and approving this will weaken our position," he said.

He added that the development could "weaken the local rural economy" and the council's policy on development beyond the settlement boundary of Earby.

But Miss Holland advised that whether the propopsal would weaken the rural economy was "more or less impossible to prove" and that the council's policy allowed barn conversions outside the settlement boundary and where the barns were "worthy of retention".

She added that if the committee refused the application because of inadequate access, it may be difficult to substantiate that view at any subsequent appeal, since the council's own highways engineer had no objection to the access.

Nevertheless, Coun Haigh successfully proposed refusal on the grounds of inadequate access and the extra traffic generated by the barn conversions.

Coun Gordon Wilkinson, representing Earby Parish Council, said: "Personally I can't see anything wrong with this application".

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