A MAJOR housing development has been put on hold amid concern about the smell from nearby Thwaites' brewery.

The block of 68 apartments and four houses has been earmarked for the site of the former Millennium nightclub, Cicely Lane, Blackburn.

The deserted eyesore has been targeted by vandals and plans to use the site for a supermarket fell through.

A planning application has been lodged by Warrington-based Inspired Development, and the plans was expected to come before last night's planning committee meeting.

But it was pulled so environmental health officers could carry out "further investigations" - including assessing the distinctive smell emanating from the nearby 200-year-old brewery and whether it would affect residents' quality of life.

Council planners will now decide on the application at a future meeting.

Principal planning officer Gavin Prescott said: "The application has been taken off the agenda while further investigations are carried out.

"Following a visit to the site, environmental health officers have asked for noise and smell assessments to be carried out, as a result of a number of businesses being in close proximity to the proposed development.

"These are routine checks which need to be carried out before a recommendation can be made on a residential development, to ensure there is no loss of amenities to future residents through noise or odour nuisance. The application is expected to rescheduled for November's planning and highways meeting."

John Ingham, the chairman of East Lancashire Campaign for Real Ale, said the smell was the result of steam from the hops - that give the beer its bitter taste - when they are boiled as part of the brewing process.

He said: "It's a wonderful smell. I remember Dutton's brewery where Morrisons is - there used to be competing smells.

"Personally I would be very happy to live near it - they have been putting out the same smells for 200 years and the brewing process hasn't changed."

A spokesman from the brewery said: "Thwaites has been a focal point in the town centre landscape for 200 years, during which time many thousands of people have lived in houses in close proximity to the brewery without problems."

Nobody from the developers was available to comment.