A CONTROVERSIAL scheme for a housing development in Salterforth has been given the go-ahead.
Despite continued objections from villagers, councillors on Pendle Council’s West Craven Committee voted through the plans for 49 houses to be built on the site of the former Silentnight showroom off Kelbrook Road.
We reported last month that a series of meetings between parish councillors and the developers had led to the application being amended, and two properties earmarked for affordable housing dropped in favour of more spaces on a village car park. Extra traffic calming measures were also agreed.
Councillors were presented with the original and amended plans and told if the application was refused, it would be the original 51 homes scheme that would be taken to appeal. This had already been recommended for approval by Pendle’s planning department.
Speaking against the applications, resident David Metcalfe repeated concerns he had voiced at earlier meetings.
He said: “We are definitely going to get houses in Salterforth, my concern is with the volume of everything that is going on.
“I still don’t think these plans have any benefits for the villagers. The village loses on every single aspect.”
Roberta Cameron, consultant for Walsingham Planning, spoke on behalf of the applicants Seddon Homes and Broughton Estates.
She said: “Broughton and Seddon have worked hard with Salterforth Parish Council and Pendle Council, with discussions centring mainly on the public car park. With a revision in the site layout we have been able to accommodate additional spaces. The parish council would be gifted the car park, which would be secured for the residents in perpetuity.”
She explained that the car park would be provided in phasing, so there would be 30 spaces at any given time, somewhere on the site.
She added: “There will also be a toucan crossing on Kelbrook Road, traffic calming on Earby Road and improvements to bus stops. We are not altering the beck, well or footpaths.
“We appreciate it will mean a certain amount of change for the village but leaving it to decay is not going to be a benefit to the village.”
Coun. Christine Pollard, vice-chairman of Salterforth Parish Council, who has led much of dialogue with developers, confirmed that the council felt it was the best scenario they could have hoped for given the circumstances.