A PENDLE farming clan hopes to invest £300,000 in a housing diversification scheme in a bid to save their livelihoods.

The Nutter family, of Sabden Old Hall Farm, Newchurch -in-Pendle, were devastated by the foot and mouth epidemic and feel this is a viable option to put them on the road to recovery.

Andrew Nutter, 33, who lives at Sabden Old Hall with his mum Ruth, dad Norman and younger sister Laura, said the plan was to keep the farm working. But to boost their income, the family hoped to convert the disused Tinedale Farm, Spenbrook Road, Newchurch-in-Pendle, into five housing plots.

They want one of the outhouses, which lies in the heart of a picturesque Pendle village, to be converted into a two-bedroom bungalow with the rest four-bedroom houses.

Andrew has worked at Sabden Old Hall since leaving school with his parents and brother Brian. He said: "Everyone knows, particularly people in the farming industry who are directly involved, that it has proved difficult to recover from the foot and mouth epidemic.

"We have been struggling for long enough. At least if we give this housing project a good go, it will help subsidise the farming, which we all know and love.

"The Tinedale farm, which was used for cattle and pigs, has not been operational for seven years. We have been thinking about the housing project for some time and this seems like the right moment."

The family has not yet applied for grants because of the fear of planning refusal. "We don't want to presume anything. We will go along the recommended routes", Andrew added.

"If we do get planning permission, which we are very much hoping for, then we will look into the different possibilities of applying for the various grants which are available.

"It is a long, drawn out process. Because the buildings are listed we have to arrange consent for everything."

The planning application will go before Barrowford and Western Parishes Committee on Thursday.