A campaign group has been formed to ‘save’ Lyndon Playing Fields from housing development.

Members of the new fully constituted Lyndon Playing Fields Association held their first meeting at Churchfield House and have been acknowledged by the council as the ‘official communication channel’ regarding any future consultation.

Pauline Embley, chairperson of the association, said they want to be ‘on the ball’ for when any planning applications are submitted to the council.

The Observer reported last year how protesters were left ‘bitterly disappointed’ after the council rejected their pleas not to sell off the popular playing field for a 250-home development.

Around 20 campaigners attended an extraordinary cabinet meeting in a bid to persuade councillors to halt the plans.

Under the plans, a new 10-acre ‘public open space’ at nearby Heymoor Farm would be created, with Great Harwood Rovers FC also moving to that site.

Rovers bosses said the facilities would be available for the whole community and the pitches would need to be ready before they give up their 25-year lease at Lyndon House.

Council leader Miles Parkinson said they were under ‘significant pressure to build more homes in the borough and said the land sell-off will only take place once ‘all legal and financial contracts are in place that bind all parties’.

Mrs Embley said they want to save the fields for recreational use.

She said: “We are very concerned that the council want to sell this land to a large developer and build up to 250 houses. Great Harwood does not need 250 more houses. We already have new houses at Mill Gardens which have not sold. Despite over 1,000 objections, the council has voted to proceed with the land sale.”

Mrs Embley said they were expecting detailed plans of any development to be available in January, however nothing has yet been released.

She said: “The scheme already includes a percentage of low cost affordable houses but once permission has been granted the developer can amend the plans to increase that percentage. It is all very worrying. We want to save Lyndon Playing Fields for the whole community of Great Harwood. We want to get ready for when the application does go in so we can do petitions and letters and make sure we are on the ball.

“People come from all over Great Harwood to use this field as it’s the only green community field we have left in the area.

“We need all the help we can get.”

A Hyndburn council spokesman said: “A planning application for the development of this area of Great Harwood is expected to be submitted later this year.

"When the application is submitted local residents will be consulted and any material considerations raised will be taken into consideration when the application is determined.

"The planning application will be determined by the Council’s Planning Committee, who will consider the proposals against the policies of the development plan for Hyndburn, the National Planning Policy Framework and other material considerations.”