RESIDENTS look set to win their battle against a planning application for a 200-place private school in their community.

Council officers will recommend to Blackburn with Darwen's planning and highways committee that they refuse plans for an independent Islamic school in Lambeth Street.

Locals in the Audley area had mounted a campaign to get plans for the two-storey building halted in its tracks, culminating in an emotionally-charged public meeting last month.

They had feared that because planning permission for a similar school on the site was approved five years ago, their fight would be in vain.

Because the development has not been built within five years of planning permission being granted, a fresh application has had to be submitted.

But officers, in a report to the committee on Thursday, will ask for the scheme to be refused on the grounds that it would compromise highway safety and free-flow of traffic.

Four letters of objection have been received by the council, on behalf of the residents fighting the plans.

A safety scheme on local roads would not work, the report to the council concludes, because of opposition from local residents.

But it does leave the way open for a fresh planning application to be submitted.

The report states: "It is considered in principle, the site in question could be developed to provide a school and that this land use activity would not in itself conflict with neighbours.

"But the question of highway safety must be addressed."

Campaigner Mo Hasez said: "Residents with houses next to this plot will have no natural light and there will be total gridlock, not to mention the noise."

David Galvin, chairman of the residents' association of nearby Lincoln Street, said: "It's hard to imagine why they would want a school here for the students -- all they will see is the back of a factory, a rubbish tip and the backs of houses. It will be constantly horrendous.

"There has been uproar."