ENVIRONMENTAL specialists are to be drafted in to monitor a housing develop-ment on the former site of a mill in Trawden.

Pendle Council is to contact the Environment Agency after residents raised concerns that material being taken away from the former Hollin Hall mill was being dumped illegally in the borough.

Furbs Property Company Ltd was given planning permission in December 2004 for 13 three-storey houses and 11 two-storey houses as well as converting Empress Mill into 14 flats. Work to clear the site started last year.

But after residents raised concerns whether the soil was polluting the river and that earth taken from the site was being dumped in quarries across the borough, councillors are to now enlist the help of the Environment Agency to make sure the material is taken to registered sites.

Neil Watson, the authority's planning and building control manager, said: "The resolution was to go to the Environment Agency and get them to look into it. They will be investigating where the material coming from the site is being disposed at.

"The other issue was whether the river was being polluted or not.

"There is to be a meeting with the residents, council officers and councillors to be arranged for next week to discuss the issues."

In December the development was added to the council's Colne committee's list of problem sites after residents complained the village's narrow roads were covered in mud from HGVs coming off the site.

An enforcement notice was served insisting developers Ramsbottom-based Dunham Developments used wheel washing facilities to minimise mud on the road.

Mr Watson added: "We have served notice on Dunhams to require them to wash the wheels which they are doing."