A CHURCH's bid to get planning permission to develop a piece of land to help pay for roof repairs has been thwarted by councillors.

St Saviour's Church, in New Line, Bacup, owns land opposite which currently houses a disused wooden Scout hut.

The hut is a temporary structure on greenland and permission is being sought to build two houses.

Coun Margaret Talukdar asked for permission to address the engineering and planning committee to appeal on the church's behalf for the plan to be approved, even though it is against planning guidelines.

She said: "I do believe we should look at small areas of a land as individual applications. I would not compare this small area of land to any application elsewhere in the borough for large acreages of greenland which may possibly come forward."

Coun David Easton said: "I recognise the church carries out work in the community but if a developer comes along and does some good work for charity should we then give him approval for land when it goes against our planning policy?"

Coun Graham Pearson said: "As much as we would like to assist the church in difficult circumstances, where does it all end?"

"There used to be a forest of Rossendale and now we have nothing. If we keep eating into these parcels of land we will not have any greenland left."

He advised the classification of the land be reviewed the district plan.

Several councillors commented on the state of the site saying the permission would enhance the area which was in a terrible state.

An amendment to approve the application was defeated and councillors voted to refuse it.