Deeply unpopular’ plan for Ribble Valley homes refused after hundreds object
The application for 85 homes – including 25 affordable ones – at Balderstone in the Ribble Valley has been rejected by councillors
A ‘deeply unpopular’ plan for new homes on farmland near a Lancashire village, which raised over 200 objections, has been refused.
The application for 85 homes – including 25 affordable ones – at Balderstone in the Ribble Valley has been rejected by councillors, despite developers asking for extra time to look at late information sent to the council.
Ribble Valley Council received 240 objections to the outline housing plan for land south of Causeway Farm at Longsight Road, Balderstone. Three parish councils also objected.
People’s fears included the impact on green space, extra traffic and the loss of individual village identities. Balderstone Parish Council said the number of houses would have a ‘profound effect’ on the area’s character. The estate would be ‘incongruous, insular and lack any integrated relationship with the villages of Mellor Brook, Osbaldeston or Mellor’.
Councillors on Ribble Valley’s planning committee considered the proposals at their latest meeting. Planning officers believed the estate should be refused, saying it was too big, would have a ‘suburban’ appearance and had poor walking, cycling and public transport links. Other reasons included the loss of hedgerows and flood risks
Progressive Liberal Coun Mark French said: “I want to support the officers’ recommendation to refuse this. However, would it be reasonable for us to defer this, to allow the applicants time to come back?”
Labour’s Michael Graveston thought that was a fair question too.
However, Conservative Stella Brunskill said: “This is outside the settlement boundary and there are flood risks for two houses further down. It’s deeply unpopular.
“There is no lack of supply for homes locally and there’s a totally different development happening in the centre of Mellor Brook. This is a village location and this plan is totally inappropriate for the area. I don’t think we should waste any more time on this.”
Conservative Kevin Horkins agreed, saying: “A lot of time has gone into the planning officers’ report on this. I think we should refuse it. ”
But earlier, Paul Forshaw of PWA Planning, who is working with the applicants, told councillors: “We are requesting this plan be deferred because we have not had the chance to seem some of the latest updates. Some documents have not yet been put on the council’s website and we have only seen summaries. We think it’s important to see all the correspondence.
“We also disagree with planning officers’ views in the weighting of different factors and on other considerations, including the recent Langho homes appeal decision.
“We believe officers have put too much weight on the ‘harm’ rather than the benefits of this plan. We believe any harm would be outweighed by the significant benefit of new houses.”
Separately, the Langho planning appeal saw a national inspector grant permission for 300 homes for another site off Longsight Road. Ribble Valley councillors had previously refused it and the council has since expressed dismay at the appeal’s outcome.
Regarding late reports for the 85-homes plan at Balderstone, a council officer said the material covered bus services, local schools and potential contributions by the developer for enhancements away from the farmland itself. But these could be covered in a later agreement, if planning approval was given.
However, councillors refused the Balderstone plan.