Residents slate 'great eyesore' industrial building in Accrington Road Hapton

Angry residents have been told there is nothing they can do to stop an industrial development, which one protestor described as a ‘great eyesore’ being built in their village.
By Sue Plunkett
Published 14th Feb 2024, 15:57 BST
Updated 14th Feb 2024, 16:54 BST
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But ward councillors in Hapton are campaigning for trees and bushes to be planted, to screen the development on Accrington Road, from view.

Residents have claimed that the building will have a severe impact on wildlife and will increase traffic on a road not designed for it. There are also concerns about increased pollution and also the impact the new construction will have on property prices in the area.

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Residents in Hapton have been told there is nothing they can do to stop an industrial development, which one protestor described as a ‘great eyesore’ being built in their village.Residents in Hapton have been told there is nothing they can do to stop an industrial development, which one protestor described as a ‘great eyesore’ being built in their village.
Residents in Hapton have been told there is nothing they can do to stop an industrial development, which one protestor described as a ‘great eyesore’ being built in their village.

One resident said: “The voice of local councillors expressing concern about the environmental impact of this development was never considered and there was no consultation with the local residents.”

Coun. Jamie McGowan said that while it may appear that the huge building had iust appeared it had been in offing for some time and was part of the Local Plan passed by the Labour run Burnley Council in 2018. Coun. McGowan said: “The site on Accrington Road was included, with the ‘Local Plan’ essentially saying to any developer that it is prime for commercial development. At the time, Coin.Alan Hosker, who was the only non-Labour councillor for the area, objected, but was ultimately out voted and it went through. Since it’s in this document no councillor, of any party, can do anything to stop it providing it fits in with the criteria set out in the Local Plan.

“This site was given conditional approval for what we’re seeing now - with each stage going through a tick box exercise.”

Coun. McGowan said he had been focusing on getting the number nine bus reinstated to the site which was included in the plans but stopped during covid. Hapton Parish councillor Joan Lakeland said that she and two other parish councillors went along to the consultation regarding the Local Plan where they noticed that this area of green field farming land was being reclassified as brownfield.

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Residents in Hapton have been told there is nothing they can do to stop an industrial development, which one protestor described as a ‘great eyesore’ being built in their village.Residents in Hapton have been told there is nothing they can do to stop an industrial development, which one protestor described as a ‘great eyesore’ being built in their village.
Residents in Hapton have been told there is nothing they can do to stop an industrial development, which one protestor described as a ‘great eyesore’ being built in their village.

Mrs Lakeland said: “It was clear that it would follow very soon that permission for an industrial area would follow and that Hapton would cease to become a village and it would become a suburb of Burnley with no natural green boundaries.”

Related topics:Local PlanResidents