Holiday village plans are agreed

The proposed development would house 94 log cabins

Plans to build a multi-million pound holiday village in Lancashire have finally been given the go ahead by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

Ninety four lodges surrounding three lakes are to be built at Pleasington Lakes at Feniscowles - despite opposition from residents.

A council spokesman said a valuable tourist facility would be created.

Developers Castleland Ltd said the site was expected to create about 50 full time jobs.

Large-scale dumping

The development is on land that formed Lower Whitehalgh Farm which was formerly used for sheep rearing and grazing. However part of it was damaged by unauthorised tipping activities enforced against by the council in 2001

Adam Scott, the council's director of regeneration, said: "Conditional outline planning permission was granted following significant changes to the application which reduced its impact on this moorland landscape.

"The council will ensure that the site, which has suffered from large scale dumping of rubbish, will be cleaned up.

"We expect the removal of the waste dumps and landscape improvements will start next spring, followed by the development of the holiday park."

Developer Michael Lewis, from Castleland Ltd, said it was as "opportunity to create a major tourism facility in a stunning part of the world".

Some nearby residents had opposed initial plans, particularly the size of the site, which were put forward in 2007.