CONTROVERSIAL plans to turn part of a Burnley recreation ground into a car park for hospital staff are being recommended for approval.

East Lancashire Hospital NHS Trust wants to build a car park on part of Rakehead Recreation Ground.

The proposal involves pulling down the children's play area and replacing it with a 147-space car park.

However, the £100,000 the council makes from the sale of the land to Burnley General Hospital would be used to create a new play area.

The plans sparked controversy when they were announced last year, but Coun Roger Frost, the council's executive member for leisure, said the plans would benefit the town.

He said: "The land could be sold to the hospital but it will give the borough the opportunity to undertake a review of what can be done with the recreation ground and the promise to replace a run-down play area.

"We will lose some land but we will get a better playground and better facilities for children."

Parking at the hospital has been a problem for years, with the health trust claiming it needs to double the 1,000 spaces on offer.

Last year a residents' parking scheme was set up.

Burnley council executive agreed to sell the land to the hospital trust earlier this year.

A decision on whether to grant planning permission will be made by the development control committee next Thursday.

A report to the committee says the plan is in accord-ance with guidelines.

And it says it would not be of a detriment to leisure facilities as the new play area would be created.

Officers also recommend that the lights for the car park are not on between 9pm and 7am.