ENFORCEMENT action may be taken by Pendle Borough Council to remove an unauthorised building in a field on the south side of Wood End Lane in Reedley.

In December 2000, permission for an agricultural building to house cattle and machinery, next to the boundary of Wood End Water Treatment Works, was refused largely on Green Belt policy grounds and because of a lack of agricultural justification.

A 28-day notification application for an agricultural building claimed as permitted development was also rejected by council officers because it was considered it had not been demonstrated the applicant had an agricultural unit of five hectares.

A report to the Brierfield and Reedley Committee states that the applicant disagreed with the rejection, claiming it was not within the council's powers to reject it and that the council's failure to call in the proposal for prior approval within 28 days entitled him to construct the building.

Solicitors acting on the owner's behalf confirmed his claims and said he was in accordance with verbal officer advice.

The building has been constructed and the council's planning manager Andy Wiggett has recommended that enforcement action should be taken to remove it.

He said in the report: "On the information available officers are unconvinced that the applicant has an agricultural unit of five hectares and consider the building is therefore not permitted development.

"While verbal confirmation of general permitted development rights may have been given by officers, there had never been agreement, even on a verbal basis, that the proposal was permitted development."

The council sent two documents to the developer -- a letter and a decision notice -- indicating that the permitted development notification was not accepted.