RESIDENTS in Barrowford will be given the chance to voice their fears over proposals to transform the derelict Vinegar Works, in Wheatley Lane Road, into a large block of apartments and two detached houses.

An application by developers Nationwide Special Projects Ltd to create a block of 30 luxury apartments, houses, garaging and parking spaces on the site, which was also previously Clough Springs Brewery, was considered by councillors this week.

Due to the letters of objection submitted by the parish council and some residents and because of the size of the development, they deferred their decision until the next meeting in March so that they could make a site visit.

It was also decided that a meeting should be arranged for a Saturday morning at a convenient venue where the plans would be laid out and people could put their questions to the developers and the planning manager from Pendle Council.

Chairman of the Barrowford and Western Parishes Committee meeting, Councillor Sheila Derwent, said: "The application has been modified as it used to be for four houses and they have removed two of them. This allows for it to be better screened and it would mean there would also be better visibility at the junction in each direction.

"Quite a lot of residents are concerned about the apartments. It is a high block and a solid mass. It wants a lot of thought as it is a very big project covering 0.8 hectares.

"There was also a general thought at the meeting about the extra traffic it could create. Barrowford does become almost gridlocked at times."

The apartment block would be to the rear of the site on the part currently occupied by acid tanks.

Members of Barrowford Parish Council wrote to the council objecting to the development on the grounds it would increase traffic near to the new St Thomas' Primary School and would reduce road safety as there is a lack of footpaths on both sides of Wheatley Lane Road.

They also believe the apartment block would not fit in with the appearance of nearby houses.

Their concerns were echoed by residents in Wheatley Lane Road.

But council planners recommended approval of the plans and said that the block makes no greater impact on the site than the silo compound and former brewery buildings and that the two houses are an adequate distance from the trees in the wooded cloughs.

Architect for the development, Paul Rathall, said: "We were disappointed it was deferred because we have been in consultation with the parish council and have amended our plans several times to a degree. We have done anything that the planning department has asked of us and have complied with all the relevant highways procedures.

"The residents have already been consulted because notices have gone in the press and have been put up at the site so this seems different to what normally seems to be done. But I have spoken to the planning department and when they have arranged a venue we will be quite happy to go along to hopefully ease people's fears."