FAMILIES living near the site of a proposed £25million development are staging a protest meeting against council moves which may scupper the plans.

They are angered that Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council is trying to alter proposals for the Lower Darwen paper mill, in Greenbank Terrace, despite no objections from the public.

Residents believe the scheme would regenerate Lower Darwen and want the plans for 40 houses and office space for 1,500 jobs to be approved without any changes.

But council officers are unhappy about building 40 houses on the upper section of the Greenbank Terrace, which is a green field site.

They have urged Salford-based developer Charles Topham to put office space in their place, to the anger of residents who do not want industrial units near their homes.

And Jane Aspinall, planning and development manager at Charles Topham, said the company would only pursue the project if the houses were allowed.

Charles Topham will use the cash from the sale of the houses to fund a £2million clear up of the site, which is contaminated, has mine shafts and suffers from flooding.

Francis Robinson, a spokesman for the families, said 100 residents attended a meeting last week to plan what action they would take.

He said council officers had been invited to the meeting from 7pm tomorrow at the community centre in Fore Street to be questioned. Jane Aspinall will also be present.

Mr Robinson, of Viscount Street, Lower Darwen, said: "No one objected to the original plans. We feel that the state of the site is dangerous. It really does need developing and it will be of benefit to the whole community.

"It is unusual for residents to ask the council to accept plans but we want to tell the council we want it how it is."

The residents also plan to quiz the council officers why they told Charles Topham earlier this year to delete plans for a hotel and leisure complex from the proposal.

Jane Aspinall said: "The council said it was against government guidance to have a hotel there as they should be in the town centres. But we still hope to add a some sort of leisure facility at a later date."

The plans will be considered by the planning committee on October 24.