A FURIOUS East Lancashire MP is calling for a Government Minister to account for her decision to refuse plans for a £2million hotel, conference centre and leisure facility.

The scheme for the popular Fisherman's Retreat at Twine Valley Fishery on the moors above Shuttleworth would have created more than 30 jobs.

Although it was approved by Rossendale Council, because it was planned for Green Belt land, the application was called in by the Secretary of State to be determined at a planning inquiry.

Government inspector William Cunningham held a public inquiry in October and has now decided the plan should be refused, a decision upheld by Sally Keeble, Junior Minister for local Government.

When the Lancashire Evening Telegraph told Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson she said: "The planning inquiry lasted two days and after the first day the inspector admitted he had only seen the application site in the dark!

"The Junior Minister Sally Keeble has made this decision and she has always known of my support and Rossendale Council's support.

"I think it is outrageous. I am just very tired of people sitting in offices in London who keep making decisions about our part of the world which are totally inappropriate.

"As soon as the House gets back I will make her come to the floor and make her explain her actions in a debate.

"I can't believe people who have made decisions who have ever been to see the site -- there was only one person who spoke against it."

The objector was a resident from Turn Village who was concerned about the possible increase in traffic.

Owner Hervey Magnall has already developed the former mill site into a fishery and animal park which includes Highland cattle, red deer and goats.

He was initially given permission to build the Fisherman's Retreat to meet the needs of anglers using the fishing facilities.

This was extended to include recreational use and functions are now held at the pub and an attached temporary marquee.

In Mr Cunningham's report he says there is no special circumstances to justify 'this inappropriate development' in the Green Belt.

Ms Keeble accepted that there may be a need for tourist facilities and jobs in the Rossendale area, but she agreed with the inspector that no functional need had been demonstrated for the development to be located in the Twine Valley.

In his report Mr Cunningham said: "The presence of the Fisherman's Retreat pub/restaurant does not justify the proposed hotel/conference/leisure development.

"Unless the proposed hotel/conference centre/ leisure centre can be justified as meeting the needs of recreational users of the valley the existence of the Fisherman's Retreat does not represent a special circumstance justifying the development in the Green Belt."