PLANS for 117 new houses have been given the green light.

Burnley Council’s Development Control Committee voted in favour of approving the scheme on land north of Higher Saxifield Street in Briercliffe last Wednesday night.

The application was submitted by Gary Willis, of Blackburn-based architects Aldrock, on behalf of Countryside Homes North West Limited.

The scheme will include access roads, open space and landscaping from Standen Hall Drive, after the demolition of 64 Standen Hall Drive.

It comes after council chiefs refused a previous application for 130 properties on the land as it would have an ‘unacceptable impact on highway safety as a result of introducing a significant number of additional vehicular movements’.

The applicant has ‘reduced the number of dwellings from 130 to 117 homes, which is lower than the allocation for 120 dwellings.

A report said: “The reduction in numbers will result in a lower traffic generation with a lesser impact on local transport infrastructure. As such, the proposed development would not have a severe impact on the highway network.”

The proposal is to provide two to five bedroom homes to create a range of houses suitable for a variety of needs.

In the design and access statement the applicants said the site should ‘provide a distinctive and high quality place for people to live which will complement the qualities and character of the surrounding area’.

“The layout and dwelling mix intends to supply the aspirational housing market by providing a mix of dwellings, predominantly three bedroom or larger that will fill the gap in the local area housing supply,” it said.

Briercliffe Parish Council objected to the scheme saying it constitutes ‘over-development of the site’.

Meanwhile, Cllr Margaret Lishman objected to the application on the grounds that the development is on a hilly site which is not gritted while there are fears over primary school places and long-standing concerns over flooding. The scheme was approved despite 180 letters of complaint.

It will now be delegated to the Head of Housing and Development Control to approve subject to the applicant entering into a Section 106 Agreement.