Councillors have been asked to be 'pebbledash police' over plans to cover the once-popular house wall covering with painted plaster.

The issue was raised at Blackburn with Darwen Council planning committee last week when a Mr K Baxter's application to use 'render' on his home was debated.

The house, in Willis Road, Feniscliffe, is currently faced with cement based pebbledash.

Mr Baxter wants to replace it with pearl coloured silicone based self-coloured smooth render.

His proposed change generated six objections from neighbours.

Graham Brown said: "I believe it would be totally out of keeping with every other house in the area and specifically within that street.

"I believe it would be unattractive and detrimentally impact on every other house in the street and visually stand out like a sore thumb."

Hannah O’Boyle said: "The property will no longer be in keeping with the area and will stand out against all of the other properties on the road.

"I'm concerned if one house is granted planning permission to go ahead with this, then Willis Road could potentially look like Balamory in the future."

As the committee debated the issue before approving the change, Conservative spokesperson Cllr Paul Marrow said he could understand the nearby residents concerns.

Committee chair Cllr Dave Smith, backing the approval, said: "We are not the pebbledash police are we?

"You could paint on it or over it with red spots and that would be ok in planning terms."

Planning manager Gavin Prescott old the meeting on Thursday night: "The objections raised principally relate to visual implications through the use of render on a property that is currently pebbledashed.

"The proposals involve the replacement of deteriorating pebbledash with a silicone-based smooth render to all three elevations.

"The site is within an urban area that has a relatively varied street scene.

"Dwellings of varying styles are found locally faced with pebbledash and red bricks.

"Were a similar colour render to be proposed when related to that of the existing pebbledash, no planning permission would be required for those works.

"Paint of any colour can be applied to any building under the provisions of permitted development."