PLANS for a multi-million pound holiday village on a former illegal waste dump have been thrown out by councillors.

There were loud cheers from the public gallery as Blackburn with Darwen's planning committee voted to turn down the £13million scheme in Feniscowles, Black-burn, last night.

Manchester-based developer Castleland Limited had applied to put 120 log cabins, five man-made lakes, wildlife reserves, a restaurant and a gym on the site known as Lower Whitehalgh Farm.

The firm had promised its plans would be "an early Christmas present" for the borough.

Council officers had recommended the plans were given the green light, but councillors voted narrowly to refuse them after a long debate.

It is not yet known whether the company will appeal, but officers last night told councillors that an appeal could well be successful.

The verdict marks the latest stage in the long-running saga surrounding the 112-acre site off Broken Stone Road.

Contaminated and non-contaminated waste was dumped on the site from 1999 to 2000, and in 2000 an enforcement notice from Blackburn with Darwen Council was placed on the land to force the previous owners to clean it up.

Castleland's first plans were unveiled in March but with-drawn in September when planners recommended that it should be refused because of its size, and a scaled-down version was put forward.

Labour councillors voted in favour of the plans at the meeting.

Coun Andy Kaye said a development like the one proposed was the only way the land could get cleared.

But Conservative member for regeneration, Coun Alan Cottam, spoke out against the plans in his capacity as a ward councillor.

And Tony Duckworth, of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said other solutions should be looked at.

Tory Derek Hardman said the site could become a residential area, not a holiday camp.

Speaking afterwards, objecter Glynn Woon, of Tockholes Parish Council, said: "We are delighted it has been refused.

"There are many different ways of dealing with the land.

"But it's certainly not the end of it."