BURNLEY and District Civic Trust has added its voice to objections to plans for a multi-million-pounds leisure centre on green belt land in the town.

The group says it is happy with the concept of the 100-acre leisure, equestrian and woodland development proposed by Burnley businessman Andrew Brown at Crow Wood farm.

But it adds that the site on fields near the M65 Asda junction is "inappropriate" within the green belt.

The trust has lodged its formal opposition to the proposal which will be the subject of a four-day public inquiry at Burnley town hall, starting on Tuesday.

It says the application is contrary to the district plan and against both local and national policy.

The group also says it is against a major leisure centre being situated outside the town centre.

The Trust states the scale and purpose of the development does not meet with the guidelines which could lead to a relaxation of green belt policies.

It adds that a valuable wildlife site would be endangered and that widescale tree planting would change the very character of the green belt.

Extensive floodlighting would be intrusive and proposed car parking would take up far too much of the development.

The Trust adds that a new major leisure complex could harm the viability of the town's Thompson Centre and affect privately run riding schools and stables in the area.

In its evidence, the group says it has taken its decision only after great deliberation and in the knowledge that the development would be advantage to people both inside Burnley and neighbouring towns.

"We fear too that relaxation of the green belt to facilitate this development may very well open the floodgates to many more undesirable planning applications."

The Friends of the Earth have also lodged objections to the plan, which has the support of Burnley council and MP Peter Pike.