Longridge Mayor says Preston Council should help improve town's facilities following controversial housing vote.

The mayor of Longridge has called on Preston council to help improve facilities in the town.
Longridge Mayor Coun Paul ByrneLongridge Mayor Coun Paul Byrne
Longridge Mayor Coun Paul Byrne

He says the city council is putting pressure on the town’s resources by approving housing developments on its borders.

Mayor Coun Paul Byrne made the plea following the council’s approval of plans to build 52 new homes off Halfpenny Lane, on the outskirts of the town.

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All but one will be affordable homes and the scheme was voted through with just one vote of opposition.

It means 20 Halfpenny Lane will be demolished to make way for the build and a new pumping station will be built.

Coun Byrne called for a change in national planning policy and more use of brown field sites.

He said: “It’s putting a lot of strain on facilities in Longridge and a lot of these people (new residents)

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will be using doctors’ services in Longridge and stuff like that.

“We’ll just have to put up with it but I wish they would be more considerate to Longridge town and the pressure they’re putting us under with all this excessive building activity on our borders.

The plans were submitted by agent Mosaic Town Planning on behalf of applicants MCI Developments and Places for People.

Preston council officials had recommended that councillors accept the proposals, subject to an obligation the applicant provide for contributions for school places.

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The mayor continued: “It would be nice if they put some money into town facilities to improve them.”

He claimed there were many brownfield sites which could be used before cutting in to greenfield sites which are needed for food production.

Preston Coun Lona Smith, who represents Preston Rural North, told the planning meeting: “Again not on the local plan...I don’t know that Preston City Council is obliged to supply affordable housing for Longridge as well.

“This housing will be too dense. It doesn’t even meet the required level of parking spaces. It just isn’t going to work...The surgeries are at full capacity.

“The proposed entrance is on a dip on Halfpenny Lane which floods regularly.”