A RAILWAY station on the East Lancashire Line is to get a new car park nearby.

It will be constructed on a 'hummocky piece of land' off Westway not far from Burnley Barracks.

The quarter of an acre site has already been cleared of dense vegetation and trees.

The planning application from Car Park (Burnley) Ltd of Trafalgar Mill Business Centre was approved by councillors on Thursday night.

Their application for redeveloping the land was considered by Burnley Council's Development Control Committee because of objections from a nearby resident and the leader of the borough's Green Party Cllr Andy Fewings.

A report by planning officers said: "The proposal is to form a car park on a small hummocky piece of land between Westway, Wilfield Street and Old Accrington Road.

"The proposal is to excavate the land to form a level hard-surfaced site and mark out with 20 car parking spaces and form a new access from Wilfield Street.

"The proposed car park would be for private users who pay in advance and would have a barrier entry system with number plate recognition.

"Spaces would be booked in advance and the car park would not be open to casual users.

"The site is an accessible location at the gateway to Burnley town centre and to Burnley Barracks railway station.

"Whilst its distance from town centre shops would make it unsuitable as a shoppers' car park, it could provide a service to others including travellers on the rail network.

Cllr Andy Fewings said the land was green space providing much needed habitat and screening for residents from a very busy road . He suggested the purchaser planted it out with trees.

The neighbour objected on the grounds of the loss of a copse and wildlife, road safety and increased traffic.

Cllr Sue Graham told the meeting: "This is an awkward-shaped piece of land left over after the road was developed and is not particularly useful for anything. It is now looking quite unsightly. It seems appropriate to us it for car parking."