PLANS to extend a church hall in Hurstwood look set to go ahead despite objections from local residents.

New male and female changing rooms and two extra meeting rooms will be created at Hurstwood Church Hall, in Hurstwood Lane, if the proposals are approved by Burnley Council's development control committee later this week.

A new covered disabled access ramp is also planned to the left of the chapel and a further ramp would be added to the front, which would lead up to the gateway from an unadopted road and then from the gateway up to the main door.

Burnley Council planning officers have recommended that, providing amendments are made - such as having a pitched rather than flat roof on the extension and changing the materials suggested for the roof of the covered ramp - councillors should grant permission for the work.

But some local residents are unhappy with the proposed scheme and four have written to the council to object.

They believe the concrete extension to the right side of the chapel would be out of keeping with the village and with the look of the building, which is listed and lies within Hurstwood conservation area.

The residents also believe the extension will be too close to their properties and will affect their privacy and that if the size of the church increases, attendance and overnight use will also increase, which will add to traffic congestion.

However, planning officers believe the amendments they have asked for will resolve any issues about the look of the extension and ramps.

A report to the committee also says privacy for nearby houses is not an issue: "The property is set further back from the nearest dwelling, which is Hurstwood House, and does not therefore face any dwelling. There is no reason to suggest that the numbers attending the church will increase... it is not envisaged that there would be an increase in traffic."