Plans for two small children's homes in a village cul de sac have bitten the dust.

Hyndburn Council's planning committee on Wednesday refused to grant a certificate of lawful use to Warrington-based Birchwood Children Services for the conversion of a property in Bluebell Way, Huncoat.

The government's planning inspectorate has upheld the authority's decision in July last year to refuse planning permission for Trinity Care and Education Services, now Prosperity Children's Services Ltd, to turn another home in Bluebell Way into a residential mother and baby home for two children supported by three carers.

Another application for a similar conversion of a mid-terraced property in Whalley Road, Clayton Le Moors, by Jigsaw Children's Home Ltd was withdrawn from Wednesday's planning committee meeting after being recommended for refusal.

The most recent Bluebell Way application to turn the house into a children's home for up to two children and up to three carers with two sleeping overnight was refused by the committee on legal grounds.

It agreed with a planning officer's report that: "The information submitted by the applicant shows a well-founded intent to provide an organised domestic setting for the looked-after children.

"However, the proposed use would not fall within the same use class as a dwelling house (C3) and, considered on the facts and degree of the matter the proposed new use would be materially different from a dwelling house use within class C3 and a Certificate of Lawful Use cannot be issued."

In the case of the other property in Bluebell Way - refused by the committee after an emotional plea by mum Kelly Ball whose daughter was run over on the road - the government planning inspector decided after an appeal that: "Given the high levels of demand for on-street parking that currently exist within the street, as highlighted by the interested parties and observed by myself, I consider that the additional demand for on-street parking generated by the proposal would be likely to give rise to parking in unsafe positions, which would be detrimental to highway safety."

In April the government's planning inspectorate did overturn the refusal by Hyndburn planning committee for the conversion into a small care home at a third property in Bluebell Way, Huncoat by Prosperity Children's Services Ltd - a decision made at the same meeting as a rejection of number 7.

The inspector in that appeal case decided that: "I am satisfied that the proposal would not result in a greater number of vehicles visiting this property than would be the case if it were occupied as a four bedroomed family-house."