PEOPLE living near an abandoned filling station have won their fight against plans for three-storey apartments to be built there.

Councillors were ultimately concerned that the homes, for the former Fernlea service station in Rochdale Road, Britannia, near Bacup, ran the risk of polluting a nearby stream.

And after the Environment Agency said not enough steps had been taken to protect the watercourse, members of Rossendale Council’s planning committee rejected the scheme, by St Vincent’s Housing Association.

Residents also claimed owls, bats, badgers, foxes and other wild birds made use of the old service station site.

The proposals would have a seen a main block comprised of nine flats and a new terraced street, including seven three-bedroom properties, built.

Twenty-six residents had signed a petition opposing the plans, claiming Britannia was in danger of being ‘over-developed’, with medical services under strain.

Jim Donovan, Britannia Resident’s Association chairman, said: “As far as I know there are no three-storey buildings in Britannia apart from the church, so to put this on the side of the road would look odd.

“The plans would definitely not be of a similar ilk with other properties around Britannia so the residents are right about this.

“Also there are two big housing estates near the site which have yet to sell all their properties as well as the nearby vacancies at the church-based apartments, so there is an over-demand for space in Britannia.”

Neighbour has also complained about traffic and parking problems along Rochdale Road to the county and borough councils in recent months.

The Enviroment Agency also had concerns about a possible flood risk, as proper provisions had not been made to divert the culvert running through the site.

But this ground was withdrawn after the developer submitted revised plans.