PLANS for a controversial development at the site of one of Burnley's best known churches have been shelved - but houses will still be built nearby.

Haggate Baptist Church, Nelson Road, Briercliffe, is a landmark that can be seen on the skyline from many parts of Burnley. It is due to be demolished after engineers deemed the building unsafe.

The roof of the building is too heavy for the walls, and any repair work carried out cannot be guaranteed for longer than 10 years. An estimate for the cost of the repairs exceeded £200,000.

Once the chapel has been demolished the area will be landscaped and one of the church's two graveyards, which alongside Nelson Road, is going to be improved, but will remain open.

The church was originally planning to develop for housing a smaller graveyard area off Halifax Road where the graves are no longer tended and are more than 100 years old, but those plans have now been put on hold.

The plans met with opposition from residents living nearby, who formed an action group and submitted a petition to Burnley council's planning department.

As well as the demolition of the church, planning permission has been granted to demolish the smaller building known as the institute off Nelson Road and develop the land for three houses.

As part of this plan an access to the new worship centre from Burnley Road will be built but the church is still waiting for a price for the work.

Diane Ridings lives in nearby Burnley Road and was concerned about the development. She said: "I am pleased for everyone because people wrote to us from all over and were very concerned about the development on the graveyard."

Although pleased that the development in the graveyard will not go ahead, Diane still has concerns over a planned access road.

"The road is too near the crossroads and someone will get killed -- we are just waiting for the day."

The church building, which dates back to the 1860s, will be demolished later in the year, and the congregation will move into the former schoolhouse, which has not been used for 15 years.

A spokesman for the church, Minister Philip Elson refused to speculate as to why the plans to build on the graveyard had been shelved, but said: "The graveyard development is on hold.

"I would say because of both national government and local government restrictions, among other things.

"What we have to do is address the issue of a piece of land that has not been used for many, many years and make it into a useful piece of land for the community.

"We were very sad to take the decision that the chapel had to be demolished, but on reflection we were sure it was the only reasonable thing to do.

"We are very grateful for all the activities that have taken place in the chapel building over its long history of serving the community."