PLANS to turn a former garage into 26 apartments have been approved.

Councillors said they gave permission, going against officers' recommendations to refuse, in a bid to help first-time buyers.

Crownway Homes Ltd will now transform the former Simpsons Garage site, in Knotts Lane, Colne, into one and two-bedroom apartments.

Planning officers said the flats, which will sell for less than £100,000, would create an oversupply of new houses in the borough due to guidelines on new builds recommended by the Government.

However, councillors approved plans for the flats, which will have artificial stone walls and concrete tiled roofs, because they said they would provide affordable housing for first-time buyers.

Some members opposed the plans over fears that the flats, which will sit next to a separate development of 18 apartments and 21 town houses, would create a ghetto-like area'.

Coun Phil Boyle, urging his colleagues to turn down the plans, said: "I am happy to go ahead and refuse this.

"Not just on the grounds of traffic, but also it would create a very cluttered, ghetto-like area.

"People do not want to see straight into people's houses and see what they are having for lunch."

The county council highways department had also objected over traffic congestion.

But the meeting was told these issues had been addressed by the planners and were no longer a concern.

Colne committee councillors then voted to approve the plans.

Coun Alan Davies said: "The properties will be on the market for less than £100,000 which will make them much more affordable than a number of terraced houses in this part of the valley.

"This will give young people the opportunity to get onto the housing ladder and make some progress."