More homes to be built on existing South Ribble estate

South Ribble Borough Council’s planning committee has given the go-ahead to a proposal to build 48 properties on an area of open space off Hampshire Road within the Holland House development.

A range of two, three and four bedroomed dwellings – some of which will be two-and-a-half storeys high – will be built on the plot, with 14 of them to be classed as affordable housing.

Planning committee member and Walton-le Dale East ward councillor Chris Lomax said that some of those living opposite the vacant land had long asked “when it is going to be developed”.

Housebuilder Eccleston Homes said as part of its application that the “unmaintained land” has a “significant negative impact on the local landscape”.

“The proposed development presents an opportunity to introduce trees and soft landscape elements along the site’s frontage with Hampshire Road – within both the public realm and front gardens of properties – significantly improving the visual appeal of the street,” the company’s design and access statement read.

What are described as “low quality” trees will be removed, but other planting will provide compensation.

Committee member Cllr Barrie Yates said that it “would have been nice” for the site to be retained as green open space.

However, he added: “It has been [earmarked] for development for a long time. I’m happy to see that the public footpath that was dark and dangerous for the children going to school early in the morning will now be lit.”

The meeting heard that density of housing on the site – at 38 dwellings per hectare – was slightly higher than the average for the borough, but similar to the surrounding estate, which is around 20 years old.

Some of the new properties will form a frontage with Hampshire Road to match the streetscene opposite.

There will be two entry points to the internal access road which will run through the new development in a “shared space” design.

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