Controversial masterplan on the table for up to 1,100 new “high-quality homes” in Penwortham

Homes England, the government’s housing agency, and house builder Taylor Wimpey are teaming up to bring to the mixed-use development to the Pickerings Farm Site in Penwortham.

Residents nearby have been fighting against the plans since 2018, when the number of homes in the proposal for the 99.78ha site amounted to 3,000.

Now the proposals, which developers say includes the addition of a primary school, have been sent before planners at South Ribble Council for approval.

Campaigner Peter Waterhouse, who launched the Keep Bee Lane Rural group to oppose the scheme, has reiterated the group’s commitment to “do everything in our power to stop it” amid concerns about green space, air quality and urban ‘sprawl’.

But Jordan Gresham, strategic land regional director for Taylor Wimpey, said the new development will help meet housing needs for the area, adding: “Following an extensive consultation process, we are proud to have worked with Homes England to finalise and submit our joint masterplan and outline planning application for The Lanes to South Ribble Council and look forward to receiving comment on this.

“This site in Penwortham has been earmarked for a major development for almost two decades and will play a key role in the exciting plans for the Central Lancashire City Deal.

“The Lanes will go some way to delivering some of the 7,000 new homes required by the Council across South Ribble from now up until the end of 2026.

“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to deliver a statement development that boasts all the convenience and style of new-build properties with the sense of community, open-space, and the addition of stunning scenery that is synonymous with South Ribble.”

As well as a primary school, developers say plans for The Lanes will also enhance local infrastructure creating new jobs in the area, a local centre with retail, employment and community opportunities, over 15 hectares of publicly accessible open spaces and parks, an apprenticeship training centre, and improvements to the local highway network.

But the Keep Bee Lane Rural protest group wants the green fields and wildlife to stay as they are, and have not given up hope of stopping the build yet.

Campaigner Peter said: “We are still against it. What we can do about I’m not so sure, but we will do everything in our power to stop it.

“I’m looking out the window now and I can see trees and you’re telling me that they’re not going to cut the trees down.

“They need to think about the ecological impact with the current debate about climate change going on.

“It’s all very well saying that they are going to put in infrastructure. It’s going to increase the pollution - 1,100 houses can double the amount of cars but there could be even more than that.

“All the residents round here are going to suffer.

“Schools are full, they are struggling. It’s not so much a primary school we need anyway. We nee to build another secondary school as well.

“I’m going to have to discuss what to do next with our members. We will all get together and plan what our next move is.

“There’s a whole host of negative aspects about this development.”

Members of the Keep Bee Lane Rural group warn that the vast development would “effectively join up the surrounding districts of Penwortham and Lostock Hall into one great sprawling conurbation making a new town but killing off the wildlife and wiping out countryside forever”.

The site is bounded by Chain House Lane, Coote Lane and Penwortham Lane. The majority of the site is within the South Ribble Local Plan and is earmarked for development.

The scheme proposes the construction of up to 1,100 residential homes made up of a mix of detached, semi-detached, mews and apartment properties ranging from one to five bedrooms.

A proportion of the dwellings could also comprise of specialist housing for the elderly.

It is anticipated that building the homes would take 15 years and bring 2,650 more people to the area.

Nicola Elsworth at North West for Homes England said: “Homes England is about more than making sure people have the homes they need – it’s about creating communities.

“As a key partner in the Central Lancashire Deal, we’ve played a central role in the development of The Lanes, a scheme that will really benefit people in Penwortham.”

She added that the “ambitious planning application will help to create the new neighbourhoods that people in South Ribble need.”

The Keep Bee Lane Rural website states: “Bee Lane and Pickering’s Farm are areas of outstanding natural beauty bustling with wildlife, agricultural land and ancient bridle-paths and footpaths cutting through idyllic farm pastures.

“Hundreds of people cyclists, ramblers, horse riders, joggers, and families use Bee Lane on a daily basis.

“Bees, butterflies, bats, hedgehogs, field-mice, shrews, foxes, hares and rabbits, pheasants, barn owls, ducks etc are just a few of the plethora of wildlife that coexist in this ecosystem alongside wild flowers and woodland.

“If a large housing estate is built upon their habitat where will they all go?”

As well as the homes plans show that “extensive green infrastructure” would amount to up to 23.95ha and include habitat areas in woodland, seating and footways as well as equipped play areas, parks and gardens and allotments.

A dedicated cycle and pedestrian route, which would be lit and surfaced, would also be part of the internal road network and would also connect to “segregated routes”.

A draft masterplan was endorsed by South Ribble Council in November 2018. Following that an “extensive“ consultation process took place between November 2018 and January 2019.

A petition against the build has now garnered more than 3,360 signatures and continues to climb.

Designs by agent Avison Young say that access to the site would be by signals at a controlled junction in Penworthm Way and a T-junction in Bee Lane.

It would be part of a “package of highway improvements” and would be a component of the development of a Cross Borough Link Road connecting Penwortham Road in the West and Bee Lane in the East. The development of the connecting road, however, would be phased.

Proposals for the Cross Borough Link Road is part of planned strategic infrastructure and has been submitted in a separate planning application.