RESIDENTS living in a Carnforth street claim they've been "duped" by the local planning process.

Householders in Grosvenor Place are upset that they've not been consulted over two buildings at the rear of their properties, which have been given permission for heavy industrial use.

They claim there lives are being made a misery by noise, nuisance and chemical sprays being used on the site.

Residents were delighted at the original plans which showed that the buildings would be knocked down. But new plans were submitted for a change of use and residents claim that throughout the process they have been left in the dark.

One mother, Sandra Walker, said: "All we've wanted is for them to be upfront about what's going on. Every time there were changes to the plans we should have been informed.

It was a bakery distribution centre but it's now a heavy industrial site and we're having problems with the spray they use to clean their vehicles. The chemicals hang in the air and there's a horrible smell. I can't let my two young children out to play when they're spraying."

Another resident, Anne Hyde, added: "If we'd have known that the buildings were going to be used like this we would have protested. But we were led to believe that they were going to be knocked down. I've lived here for 31 years and the way things are going I don't want to live here any more."

The issue will be discussed at a planning meeting on Monday and residents are trying hard to lobby local politicians.

Ward councillor Greg Beaman said: "I can sympathise with the residents and it is a difficult situation. Unfortunately "change of use" is a very broad term and that's where the problem lies. At the moment the buildings are being used quite legitimately."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.