"The balance is now stacked in favour of developers": Council hit out after 300 home plan is approved

The Government has given the go-ahead for 300 houses to be built in Ribble Valley open countryside, following a planning appeal.

Hallam Land Management Ltd submitted outline plans to Ribble Valley Borough Council (RVBC) for a development close to Langho railway station in April 2025. They said the 20 acre site between the railway line and the A59 (Longsight Road) was an “important opportunity to create a sustainable extension to Langho”, and promised “a greater number of bungalows and homes suitable for downsizing and retirement” as well as larger homes up to 2.5 storeys.

Ribble Valley Borough Council refused the development off the A59 near Northcote Manor last June on the grounds that it was outside the settlement boundary, would have a harmful impact on surrounding landscape and result in a loss of habitat.

But although a planning inspector concluded that the development would have a harmful effect on the character and appearance of the area, he said the benefits would outweigh the harm.

Councillor Lee Street, chairman of the council’s planning and development committee, said: “While the inspector agreed that the development would be harmful, our refusal was nevertheless overturned, which just goes to show how difficult it has become for councils to resist development.

“Increased housing targets set by the Government and the requirement to maintain sufficient land supply to meet those targets means the balance is now stacked in favour of developers and speculative development.

“The current planning system is making resisting such development increasingly difficult, with a risk of significant cost to council taxpayers when defending appeals.

“However, we will continue to work with developers and landowners as best we can to secure the best possible outcomes for our communities, including the provision of genuinely affordable housing in the right locations, with supporting infrastructure and environmental protections.”

Following legal advice, the council has concluded that challenging the appeal decision has little prospect of success.

The council’s director of economic development and planning, Nicola Hopkins, praised the efforts of her planning team in challenging the proposed development. She said: "We vigorously defended our refusal, but the inspector concluded that the benefits of delivering housing outweighed the identified harm.

“I would like to thank my planning team, who pulled out the stops to defend our position and are dismayed at this outcome.”

What’s next?

Council planners are now working at pace to update Ribble Valley’s Local Plan to ensure as far as possible that future development is in the right locations, supported by the necessary infrastructure and shaped by local priorities to create thriving communities.