COUNCIL taxpayers in Burnley could be left with a £30,000 bill after a holiday home site was refused permission for the second time.

Members of Burnley Council’s planning committee voted eight to five to throw out a bid to build nine log cabins at Brownside Farm, in Worsthorne.

Councillors took the decision even after an independent inspector and Burnley town hall planners recommended approval for the new scheme after a previous application was denied in January 2007.

And now one committee member has predicted the homes are likely to be independently approved after another inspection - leaving Burnley Council with a £30,000 bill.

After the meeting, Coun Jonathan Gilbert said: “I think it is quite likely that the applicant will appeal against this decision again and then an inspector will approve the scheme - that will probably cost £30,000.

“That money will come from the council’s budget because it can’t come from anywhere else.

“If I was a gambling man I would say they are likely to appeal again and win.”

The original application last year for 17 static caravans was refused on the grounds of “inadequate access” and an “unacceptable effect on the landscape”.

However, the latest bid was backed by an inspector and the council’s planners, who said the problems had been overcome.

But now, despite opposition from councillors and residents, a costly appeal could see the proposal going ahead anyway.

Coun Gilbert added: “Is it a waste of money? That’s one interpretation of it.

“I think residents realise now that this application is a more measured proposal and is in keeping with the village.

“£30,000 is an awful lot of money for a borough like Burnley but there is this mentality of spend now and worry about it later.”

At last week’s meeting, the application was rejected with Coun John Jones, saying he thought assurances that the holiday homes would be strictly non-residential were “flaky”.