VILLAGERS are up in arms after plans for a new 55-chalet holiday village were approved in principle.

Residents in Salterforth fear the development at Park Close Quarry, Moor Lane, could turn their quiet village into a small town.

Farmers are angry over a lack of consultation over plans to use a £21,000 handout, from holiday village firm Halton Homes, to improve public footpaths around the village.

Parish council chairman Jeff Haydock and Howard Bradley, who runs a nearby stables and riding centre, accused the West Craven committee of 'railroading' the scheme through without discussing the footpath implications for landowners.

The plans also include a reception building, shop, cafe and health spa.

Residents' spokesman David Carradice said: "The lane which leads down to the quarry is narrow, unclassified and steep. In the winter it becomes impassable and various accidents have occured there."

Another resident Emma Fitzhoney said: "It will change a village into a town without any of the amenities for people living there, making it a depressing place to be."

But planning agent John Steel said plans had been revised after talks with the parish council, including reducing the number of chalets.

He said more people than ever before were choosing to holiday in the UK than abroad, adding: "This proposed investment will make the district tourism offer more extensive and attractive."

Coun Allan Buck, a former tourism champion for Pendle Council, believes the area will benefit from the development.

He said: "It is in a natural amphitheatre, as it has been dug out as a quarry, and you would struggle to see it apart from at certain points along the road."

Councillors delegated consent to the council's planning manager Neil Watson, subject to talks with landowners and the developers.