CONTROVERSIAL plans to turn a family house into a home for children with learning disabilities have been abandoned after opposition from local residents in a nearby retirement village.

Nurture Childcare Services Ltd proposed to turn the detached property in Eden Park, Beardwood, Blackburn, into residential accommodation for three eight to 19-year-olds.

But after neighbours petitioned senior councillors to overturn planning permission for the new home, the Great Harwood-based organisation has dropped the project.

In April Blackburn with Darwen Council granted a Lawful Development Certificate to the firm for the scheme.

Then a petition was submitted by the Eden Park-Beardwood and Lammack Action Group on behalf of the Larmenier Village residents containing 14 signatures to the borough’s executive board.

A report to the councillors says: "The petition requests that all activity at the site is suspended and the local planning authority revoke the issuing of the lawful development certificate. Residents have set out why they believe all activities should cease, and the decision be revoked.”

The petition claimed that there was a restrictive covenant on the house which meant it could only be used ‘as a private dwelling house (together with associated garage, greenhouse and garden shed) in the occupation of one family.’

The residents said that the proposed use as a home for young people with learning disabilities and sensory impairments needing 24/7 care 52 weeks a year breached that legal requirement and was unsuitable for the neighbourhood.

Nurture Childcare Services Ltd director Danielle Moorby said: “The home is now not going ahead.

“We have abandoned the scheme and informed Blackburn with Darwen Council.

“It is sad because we think it would have been a nice location and nice house for our children. It would have caused no disturbance for local residents.

“However after speaking to the neighbours the strength of their opposition was clear and we could not go ahead with the project, so we have bowed to the objections of local residents and abandoned the scheme.

“At the moment we do not have anywhere else in mind for the project.”

The original planning application said the home would ‘function in the very same way as a family unit’.