Changes made to controversial Longton housing estate plan - see what Story Homes want now
A series of amendments have been made to a controversial Longton housing estate plan.
Story Homes made an application to South Ribble Borough Council last summer, proposing 140 homes on land off Chapel Lane - close to St Oswald’s Church and primary school - saying 30 per cent of which would be ‘affordable’ homes for eligible local people.
They said the development has been designed to complement the surrounding area, and would offer a mixture of one to six-bedroom properties. But there have been local concerns regarding traffic, lack of infrastructure, and a change to the village characteristics.
What’s changed?
Now, following ‘technical responses’ from various consultees, the developer has made changes to the plan. Residents have until March 5 to submit comments - search ref: 07/2025/00498/FUL
The main changes include:
- A reduction in houses from 140 to 136. Four plots have been removed in the northern section of the site, adjacent to the proposed site access, to accommodate a potential foul water storage tank.
- An increase in affordable housing to 35 per cent - 48 dwellings. The developer said: “In line with the comments provided from the affordable housing officer, the tenure split is 70 per cent affordable rent and 30 per cent shared ownership.”
- Changes to the internal road layout in respect of crossing points and additional swept path analysis. Lancashire County Council’s highways department had raised several concerns about a lack of ‘giggle gagle gates’, lighting for pedestrian routes, appropriate pedestrian crossings and that the internal roads serving Plots 9–19 and 30– 40 “remain excessively straight, with insufficient features to enforce a 20mph limit.”
- Following comments received from the Enivornmental Health Officer, 2.4m and 2.6m fences bounding the garden areas at plots 38-40, 41-44 and 51 are now proposed “to ensure external amenity area standards of 55dB and below are achieved”.
- The house pack type has been updated to reflect the latest ranges of houses offered by Story Homes.
- The proposed drainage layout has also been updated to reflect the revised site layout.
At the time of the original application, Josh Dobson-Brear, North West Land Manager for Story Homes, said: "We are excited to bring forward this new development, which will not only provide much-needed homes in Longton but also deliver significant benefits to the local community. Our previous development, Longton Grange, has been incredibly well received, with the majority of homes now sold, showing the strong demand for high-quality homes in this area. This new scheme will continue to meet that demand while enhancing the local community.
In addition to high-quality housing, we are dedicated to improving local biodiversity and supporting the local economy through job creation and increased demand for services. By investing in this development, we are ensuring that Longton remains a fantastic place to live for both current and future generations."
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