RESIDENTS living next to a church in Chorley say their homes have been left in the dark by a new extension.

Homeowners in Weldbank Lane are reeling after new meeting rooms were built on the back of the Chapel house Christian Fellowship Church, Moor Road.

They say the development has blocked out light from their terraced homes and ruined their view.

More than 100 people signed a petition against the original plans, as reported in the Citizen in July 2003, and the council refused to allow the development because it would be 'overbearing' and cause an unacceptable 'loss of light'.

But the church pressed ahead and was allowed to build the extension after revising the height of the building and moving it further from residents' back yards.

Lisa Garratt, who lives in the house backing directly onto the extension, said: "My house used to be flooded with sunlight all afternoon, now it's really dark."

Residents are also angry that they could not attend the planning meeting because they were only told about it six hours before it went ahead. Council letters were sent out too late for the residents to take time off work.

Runshaw College support worker Lisa, 34, said: "The date was changed at the last minute and we only received letters informing us on the morning of the hearing so none of us could get time off."

The residents lodged a complaint with the Ombudsman, who told them there was nothing he could do as the council had followed the correct procedure.

But church pastor Ian Moulton said he had kept residents informed and invited them to speak to him face to face.

"I am quite happy to sit down with the residents to allay their concerns, and I am sure that when the building is complete they will agree that the view outside their windows is actually enhanced, because it was a bit of a mess before."

No-one from the council's planning department was available for comment.