RESIDENTS worried about plans to develop an industrial area into a college campus are to employ a private planning officer to investigate their fears.

Last night people in Healey Wood, Burnley, held a meeting to discuss the scheme, which would see the International House site, in Springhill Road, transformed into part of the Burnley College campus.

The meeting was held after residents claimed council engineers were ignoring their fears about the plans, which they claim will bring 150 students and staff to the area, creating parking chaos.

And residents decided to hire their own planning officer to scrutinise the procedures of the borough council and Lancashire County Council.

Ward councillor Carole Galbraith said the cost of the officer would be £400, which included £150 for him to speak at Burnley council's development control committee, and a collection has been started.

She said: "Residents feel that they have no alternative but to seek the professional opinion and advice of an independent planning officer.

"He will look at the policies of Burnley Council's local plan and he will make sure the planning department have not contravened any of the plans."

The meeting, at Greenhill Bowling Club, Manchester Road, was attended by a representative from the borough council's highways department who answered questions about traffic flows on the minor roads around the site.

However, Coun Galbraith criticised the county council for not sending someone from their highways department to answer concerns about traffic issues on the major roads.

She added: "I got the impression that the residents were very disappointed that the highways department of Lancashire County Council did not turn up, or send apologies for their absence.

"They should at least listen to the opinions of residents before making decisions. It is a job half done."