PLANS to refurbish a children's play area and create a floodlit ball court on recreation ground in Burnley have been approved months after similar plans were rejected.

Burnley Council's development control committee granted planning permission for the improved facilities on the Fulledge play area, in Mitella Street, despite receiving an objection from a resident.

Resident Anthony Heys told councillors at the meeting that large numbers of people already congregated on the area and behaved anti-socially.

However, councillors backed the plans which are part of the authority's Teen Zones project which aims to improve facilities for teenagers in the borough and reduce anti-social behaviour.

A condition of the scheme is the floodlights are not used after 9pm.

Coun David Heginbotham said: "This area is long overdue for improvement."