Ribble Valley Borough Council are inviting public views in a consultation on potential plans for development of the Borough over the next 15 years for business, employment, housing, green belt, archaelogical and historic heritage sites.The consultation will take place between the 25th August and 20th October 2010 .
The report indicates the need to create 1500 homes over the next 15 years,to build or convert dwellings at the rate of 161 homes a year for the next 5 years, providing 805 new homes.
Councillor Ken Hind, Vice Chairman of the Conservative Association explained - ''This consultation is probably the most important undertaken in recent years .The decisions made following it, provide the planning options for Ribble Valley industry , housing and leisure for the next 15 years. One of its major aspects is to get the public's view on the areas of the Ribble Valley which are going to meet future housing need, including homes for families , sheltered accommodation for the elderly and social and affordable housing .The Council are asking the public to choose from 4 options for housing development based on 1500 houses built in the next 15 years :-
Option 1 Ciltheroe - 45% 675 dwellings
Whalley 30% 450 dwellings
Longridge 5% 75 dwellings
Villages 20% 300 dwellings
In option 1 Clitheroe and Whalley carry the highest proportion of future development .
Option 2 Clitheroe 24% 360 dwellings
Longridge 30% 450 dwellings
Whalley 23% 345 dwellings
Villages 23% 345 dwellings
In option 2 the highest proportion of development is in Longridge.
Option 3 Clitheroe 22% 330 dwellings
Longridge 3% 45 dwellings
Whalley 15% 225 dwellings
Villages 60% 900 dwellings
For option 3 the major part of the development is in the the rural villages.The sites where this development will take place are described as village growth areas; defined within the report as ''areas of search in the village settlements that can accommodate a larger amount of development than that would take place in options 1 and 2 . ''
''At this stage village residents and Parish councils cannot be assisted as to where '' village growth areas'' are located for option 3 as they have not been identified, with the exception of large village sites which can be found in the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) survey, carried out last year. This survey can also be seen on the Council web site and will form part of the decision making process which will result in a finalised plan for the Ribble Valley called the Local Government Framework which will cover the next 15 years.
''Within the Core Strategy report are potential areas for housing development to meet each of the 3 options called ''areas of search''. They can be identified from annexe 3 to the report and the maps showing their whereabouts. However these search areas will not necessarily be developed but members of the public will no doubt have views about them, which they may want to express in their responses.
''The Application made by Cheshire based Gladman Developments to build 270 houses at Henthorn Road, Clitheroe, does not form part of the consultation. The very existence of this application does however underline the need to update planning strategy in the Ribble Valley.
''All Conservative Councillors have copies of the report and will be available to listen advise and provide explanations. Public meetings are planned to explain the process of consultation and its impact throughout the district. It is hoped many interested members of the public and all Parish and Town Councils will take part. The full Core Strategy Report and the SHLAA can be viewed on the Council web site ,copies will be placed in libraries and public buildings throughout the district and it is available on disc.
''The questions to ask are; do we need to build 1500 homes over the next 15 years ?, do we need to build more or less ? if we do so in which area should they be located ? and what kind of homes do we need in these areas ? ''
''It is essential to plan for the future and the consultation will help form the Local Government Framework, which will enable the council to grant planning permissions regulate and control future development . The guidelines it will provide, will assist builders and developers to see where they can and or cannot build . It will in the long term help to protect the rural nature of the Ribble Valley. Once the 4 options have been considered and one chosen, the next stage of the Local Government Framework process will be to identify individual sites which following further consultation will form part of the final plan.''
Ken Hind stressed '' This confusing, convoluted way of planning for the future called the Local Government Framework , is a hangover from the last Labour government . The Coalition government have already abolished the regional strategy and house building targets that underpinned it and plan to give local councils new powers and reform planning in the De-centralisation and Localism Bill shortly to go before Parliament. To make sure that plans are in place to control future development it was felt by the council that until the new legislation was enacted , there was no choice as it is still the Law, to continue with this process, to develop a planning core strategy for the future ''