Developers who did not consult residents before submitting a planning application to build 14 new homes on part green belt land have been slammed.

Brothers Development Ltd recently submitted plans to Rossendale Borough Council to build 14 new homes on land owned by B&E Boys Ltd on Booth Road in Stacksteads.

However, the proposed development would encroach onto green belt land, which the developers say is 'failing to entirely contribute to Green Belt purposes' anyway.

The application was submitted at the beginning of April but the developers failed to consult residents in the immediate area stating they 'did not feel that, with regard this specific planning application, the local community would be in any way prejudiced by not having been consulted on the proposals prior to a planning application being submitted', and asked that the application be dealt with as swiftly as possible.

Residents have now voiced their disdain over the 'disregard' they have shown to local people.

June Griffin who lives in the area said: "Yet again it appears that developers are planning to build houses on green belt, irrespective of the fact that the area has an abundance of brown field land.

"For whatever reason the applicant has decided not to have a community consultation, which would have given the local residents an opportunity to ask questions about the development and how it would affect the local area, which is directly against a recommendation from Rossendale Council in a letter sent to the applicant on September 6 2019.

"As a resident who will be affected, I am surprised that the developer has chosen to go straight to submitting a planning application, giving only a short period of time for anyone who wishes to object to read the vast amount of information submitted, with the application deadline being May 12."

Ms Griffin said one of the documents in the application consisted of 190 pages, which for anyone not well-versed in the planning process would be difficult to comprehend.

She added: "How are we as residents supposed to make a fully informed objection if we are not able to ask direct questions of the developer, it’s almost as if it’s being pushed through planning with the least resistance as possible.

"An extract from the planning statement in which they say they are keen to progress straight to an application submission without consulting residents, for me, sums up the contempt in which the developers view those affected by the build.

"The disregard they are showing to residents is absolutely disgraceful.

"The planned site itself is a shambles, as the plot is on an incline and the ground is elevated, which means that any housing built will be overbearing to the existing properties.

"The green belt land also houses a pigeon loft that is still in use for racing pigeons."

Ms Griffin is now urging those who live in the area who care about the erosion of green belts to object against the proposals on the Rossendale council site using reference 2021/0215, adding: "If we don’t stand up and oppose these developments the area will become an urban sprawl."

Peter Boys of B&E Boys Ltd said they had 'no comment to make'.