Councillors have deferred a decision on proposals to turn a family house into a small children's care home and rejected another in the borough.

A third was withdrawn from the agenda of Tuesday's meeting of the Hyndburn Council planning committee.

They are the latest of a string of such proposals to come before the committee as a result of what former planning chair Cllr Judith Addison called a 'mushrooming industry' in the borough in 2022.

Auxilium Living Ltd had requested a lawful development certificate to turn a property in Abbott Clough Avenue, Oswaldtwistle, into a supported living home for two young people aged 16 or 17, but withdrew it before the meeting.

A second application for a certificate of lawful use for a home in Allsprings Drive, Great Harwood - a semi-detached three-bedroomed house with a garden - from The Aspire Care Network was refused.

It wished to convert the property into a children’s home providing accommodation for two children.

The committee backed an officer's report to councillors recommending refusal, which said: "The information submitted by the applicant, whilst indicating good intent as regards care of children, does not demonstrate the proposed use would be lawful."

The third property on the committee agenda in Grasmere Close, Rishton, was debated by councillors, who decided to defer final consideration despite the council's chief planning and transportation officer Simon Prideaux recommending approval.

Birchwood Children Services has submitted a full planning application to convert the three-bedroomed detached house with rear and front gardens into a children's home for a maximum of one child aged 18 or younger, with up to three carers working on a rota basis.

Committee members expressed concern about a neighbour's objection claiming there was already a similar home in the street.

Mr Prideaux said there was no planning record of such a home in Grasmere Close but agreed to make further checks which would include looking at whether there were any such homes in Rishton.

Lisa Goulding, Birchwood's operation director, told the meeting there would only be one local child placed at the property and the firm would work with Lancashire County Council in selecting that child.

After the meeting, she said she was happy with the deferral.

Netherton ward's Cllr Jodi Clements, moving the deferral, said a proper survey of how many such small care homes were already in Rishton was needed before a decision was made.

She was backed by Overton ward's Cllr Scott Brerton, who said this application for just one child felt different from other such proposals the committee had previously rejected.