BURNLEY’S MP and council leader have clashed over controversial plans for three new travellers’ sites for the borough.

Campaigners are outraged at borough proposals for pitches on parcels of land off Marlborough Street, Lawrence Avenue and Heald Road.

Liberal Democrat MP Gordon Birtwistle supported a 1,300 signature online petition, launched by resident Steve Lupton, claiming inadequate consultation over the locations.

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Borough Labour leader Mark Townsend has proposed a motion to Wednesday’s full council meeting warning that Communities Secretary Eric Pickles and the Planning Inspectorate could penalise the authority if it ditched the plans.

He calls on Mr Birtwistle to meet the cabinet minister to clarify the position.

The MP has hit back, saying he has already met with Mr Pickles and it is the council’s own fault it now has to include the sites in Burnley’s Local Plan.

Coun Townsend’s motion reads: “Our MP has stated publicly that the council does not need to provide these pitches. We therefore call on him to meet with the Secretary of State at the Department of Local Government to get confirmation that the Planning Inspectorate would not challenge his view that Burnley's Local Plan does not need to designate land for gipsy and traveller sites.

“This council will then consider any such confirmation received when recommending a preferred option.”

Mr Birtwistle said: “I have already met with Mr Pickles who told me that if the council identifies a need, it should include travellers’ sites in its local plan.

“If it does not identify a need, it does not need them.

“Last year the council commissioned a report from Salford University, asking it to identify a need for travellers’ sites, which it duly did.

“If the council had not commissioned that report, there would have been no requirement and Mr Pickles would not have batted an eyelid.”