A CONTROVERSIAL land bank in rural Burnley has claimed another victim after a company director was banned from being a boss for 14 years.

Lydia Elizabeth Colebrook, 36, was disqualified following proceedings by the Insolvency Service over the sale of plots of land off Red Lees Road, sold with a 1,289 per cent mark-up.

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Her company Morgan Rey Consultants paid a land owner 70p per square foot – then marketed it to investors for about around £9.72 for each plot.

The green belt land was sold amid claims it would be re-zoned for housing. But council bosses said the site was not allocated for residential development and was not likely to be redesignated in any upcoming review of Burnley’s Local Plan.

Colebrook, of Sprowston, near Norwich, also failed to explain payouts totalling £27,715 to known associates, between December 2010 and March 2011, so the Official Receiver couldn’t was unable to confirm the firm’s financial position when it was wound up. Six directors of other firms received bans over the same site in August.