CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a care home on a former church building have been thrown out by councillors.

There were fears protected trees would be chopped down if the 41-bed old people’s home on a one-time presbytery on Livesey Branch Road, Blackburn, got the green light.

But the firm behind the plans, Orchard Care Homes, has already appealed and the matter will now be resolved by a planning inspector.

Alistair Wood, a representative of the firm, told Blackburn with Darwen’s planning committee only one tree would be lost as a result of the development.

Members of the committee, which met at Blackburn town hall on Thursday night, clashed over whether the plans, which had previously been thrown out in April, should get the go-ahead.

For Darwen councillor Phil Jones said: “It’s a derelict site and this will be good for the borough and good for the area generally. This will improve the site dramatically”.

Earlier this year there was outrage when developers felled trees without permission at Richardson House, the former home of the Bishop of Blackburn on Billinge End Road.

Labour’s Jim Smith urged the committee not to “make the same mistake again”.

He said: “Our job is to protect those trees. If we let this be built in a couple of years all those trees will be gone”.

Coun Smith said the site should be left to be developed as a private house.

In a heated debate between councillors, committee chairman Paul Browne had to warn Orchard’s representatives they were not allowed to shout out from the public gallery.

The plans were eventually rejected by eight votes to seven.