A LISTED barn in Blacko will be left to rot because councillors do not want to see it turned into housing, it has been claimed.

Owners of the Pennine aisled barn at Great Stone Edge, Gisburn Road, wanted to turn it into two houses so their children could live near by.

But English Heritage has said the barn is of special significance and so Barrowford and western parishes councillors decided to turn down the application by Peter Byrne - despite the warnings from Blacko residents.

Ralph Woolnough, of Gisburn Road, said: "We are fortunate to have people like the applicant who are working hard to put right the negligence over the years. Without them how else would buildings like this be preserved?

"In its present form this barn has no viable future. If it gets in a worse state the committee could issue an urgent works notice. It would be better to use and adapt it to changed circumstances.."

The applicant's agent, Steven Burke, said: "Unless the buildings are put to viable use they will continue to decay."

Coun John David, Pendle Council's champion for the historic environment, said: "This is a very imaginative scheme and there are some brilliant ideas in it.

"Sadly, it in effect demolishes the barn. There will be a ceiling which means one will not see the barn in its entirety. English Heritage has been very clear and our policies are very clear we should do nothing to damage the fabric of the building."

The application was refused on the casting vote of committee chairman Coun Linda Crossley who said the scheme was 'completely against council policy' and the applicant would have right of appeal.