A BURNLEY campaign group has spoken of its disappointment after Lancashire County Council agreed to seize two pieces of land to build new schools.

Compulsory Purchase Orders have been ordered on highly contentious sites at Towneley Park and off Rossendale Road, both of which were strongly opposed by both Burnley Council and local residents' groups and organisations.

Any further opposition could see the matter decided by a public inquiry which could cost up to a five-figure sum, and would have to be paid for by those who were against the scheme if their appeal failed.

The council today appeared to surrender in their fight to save the land.

And Avril Hesson, from the Burnley branch of Friends of the Earth, slammed the county council for ignoring the opposition.

She said: "We were against it and we still are. This just goes to show that Lancashire County Council haven't been listening and that the protests made over taking the Towneley playing fields have been ignored. We are very sorry they have taken this action."

Council leader Gordon Birtwistle said: "A motion was put before the old council before the elections in May and it was agreed we would not sell the land to Lancashire County Council.

"This was totally expected. They've told us all along they were going to do this, so it's nothing new.

"We haven't received any CPO yet, but it will be up to the council to decide if it is to oppose it."

Any battle over the land would cost in the region of £30,000 for an inquiry and would take around a year. However, as Unity College is the last to be built, an inquiry is not expected to delay the £250million Building Schools for Future project.

The county council plans also include the demolition of the existing Towneley School and restoration of that site to parkland.