Objections to Chorley housing scheme over 'blatant disregard' for borough's affordable housing quota

Euxton Parish Council voted wholly against a proposal for 24 new homes on a former football pitch at Greenside, Euxton.

The decision was taken at the council’s full council meeting in May, where councillors discussed the matter.

A spokesman for the council said they object to it on the basis of the Local Plan allocating the land for a maximum of 17 homes, stating that the increase to 24 “will have significant detriment to existing residents of the Greenside estate in terms of traffic and parking”.

The council has also drawn attention to it falling short of the 30 per cent affordable housing target, with six homes in this category rather than the eight to hit the quota, describing it as a “blatant disregard of Chorley’s policies by the developer”.

Developers Westchurch Homes write that “it is likely that 100 per cent of the scheme will be shared ownership”, which is a similar scheme to that under affordable housing in that it helps potential homeowners get on to the property ladder without buying a property outright.

“The proposals are of high-quality design, situated within a sustainable and appropriate location for residential development,” they add.

A decision on the development has yet to be made by Chorley Council's planning officers or Development Control Committee.