RESIDENTS today demanded a housing development be torn down after builders back-tracked over paying for road safety improvements.

People living in Cleveland Road, Burnley, have reacted with fury to news that developer Rocketfine Homes had asked the council to remove a condition asking them to cough up £3,000 as part of the permission to build the homes.

Burnley Council is waiting for the cash three years after giving the Preston-based developer permission to build on the site of a former care home.

Lancashire County Council sold Whiteacres Home for the Elderly to the company in 1998 and Burnley Council granted planning permission for residential development of the site, on condition that road safety was improved on Cleveland Road. The council suggested £3,000 should cover the scheme.

A show house is now open at the site but three years after planning permission was granted Burnley council is still waiting for the cash and last month demanded the company pay up or face legal action.

However, Rocketfine has now applied to planners to remove the condition, prompting an angry reaction from residents.

Charles Harris, who has campaigned for many years to improve road safety in the area, said: "In my opinion the developer is reneging on the contract and if they do not pay the money they should be made to pull the houses down.

"They should be treated the same as everybody else in that if they fail to meet conditions then planning permission should be withdrawn."

Roger Williams, also of Cleveland Road, added: "We have been hoping for some sort of traffic calming and we are disappointed.

"We have been waiting for three years and feel the developer should pay something towards traffic improvements."

A council spokesman said: "When planning permission for the homes was granted, a condition was attached that the developer had to submit a scheme outlining what highway improvement works they would carry out in the vicinity of the site.

"The council have indicated that a contribution of £3,000 towards the cost of signs highlighting the weight restriction in Cleveland Road, may be appropriate to satisfy the condition. The developer has not yet agreed to pay for the signs and has not come back with an alternative scheme.

"The council's planning and environment services unit has recently received an application to remove the condition to provide the road signs and the application is currently being processed.

"All comments that are received regarding this application will be considered."

The council has now sent out letters seeking the views of residents on the proposed alteration to the planning conditions.

Rocketfine were today unavailable for comment.