A TORY council has been attacked for refusing permission for an ethnic minority community centre to expand.

Hyndburn Labour MP Greg Pope said Hyndburn's decision to refuse an extension of the Hamdard Centre in Garbett Street, Accrington, was "an outrage" and "a nonsense".

The centre, which has offered a variety of services to Asian people for two years, wants to extend at the back to help disabled users. They understood the current use of the building had previously been approved when it was owned by Hyndburn Homewise.

But the council refused permission for the extension and said there was no permission for "change of use" to community centre in existence.

Executive member Jemshad Ahmed said this now put the centre in a difficult position. The council refused the change of use and now it will have to move or close down. However, the centre, which helps up to 60 visitors each week and provides a luncheon club, English lessons and sewing classes, is having difficulty raising the money for a move.

Mr Pope said: "This is an outrage. The centre has been there for two years doing valuable work. It's certainly not a nuisance to anyone. I am appalled that Hyndburn's Tory Council can put this valuable service in jeopardy in this way. It's a nonsense."

Hyndburn Council has been holding discussions about the future of the centre with its executive.

Development control chairman John Griffiths angrily rejected Mr Pope's attacks.

He said: "I commend the work the centre do and it was not a decision which was taken lightly. But we can't please everyone all of the time and we feel it is not right to locate the centre in the middle of the community. It would be more appropriate to locate it in commercial premises.

"The Hamdard committee members have brought up the matter with the leader of the council, Peter Britcliffe, who told them they had the right to appeal.