Councillors have granted backdated approval to four new air conditioning units at a heritage café owned by their own authority.

Burnley Council's development control committee gave retrospective planning permission to the additions to the The Old Stables Restaurant in Towneley Park.

The Grade II heritage-listed building is part of the Towneley Hall estate owned by the borough.

The approval came despite Hapton-with-Park Conservative Cllr Joanne Broughton expressing concern about the retrospective nature of the application.

A planning officer's report to Thursday's meeting of the committee said: "This application relates to the former stables and coach house to Towneley Hall, dating from 1790 and converted into a café in the early 1950s.

"The building is a heritage asset of high significance, reflected in its Grade II listing.

"The nature of this significance is derived primarily from its historic and evidential interest resulting from its ancillary relationship to Towneley Hall and its integral part of the designed parkland.

"This application seeks retrospective planning permission to regularise the installation of four external condensing air conditioning units undertaken as part of the café refurbishment works in October 2023.

"The location was agreed in consultation with the council’s heritage planner.

"The units provide both heating and cooling capability as required.

"It is therefore considered that the proposal preserves the special interest of the listed building in its entirety."