LETTER: When will rape of Ribble Valley end?

Although in his letter Mr Parker refers in the main to the increase of traffic in the Ribble Valley due to the connected increase of the population, he is just voicing the concerns of the majority of the population who reside in this beautiful and (so far) unspoilt area of the country.

The fact is, however, it goes far beyond traffic problems. In fact those traffic problems are a side issue caused by the ongoing rape and pillage of our area by developers.

These disgraceful actions would seem to be supported by national government along with the two tiers of local government who refuse to fight on behalf of the populace and who put their own percieved interests before those of the people who currently reside here and who they are supposed to represent.

The questions I cannot seem to get a straight answer for are: Just how far will the proposed developments go? When will they be finalised? When all these additional homes are built and the national population continues to grow, what will be the projected state of the Ribble Valley?

Will the same situation just carry on and on until the green fields and moorlands have gone from out of our valley? Will those resident here at that time be forced to accept further development until the Ribble Valley no longer exists as a rural area?

One of the statements in respect of the “affordable homes” sector of the proposed development, is that young people who were born in the villages have nowhere to live and so low cost houses must be built to cater for them.

It is my belief most young people do not want to reside in the villages where there is no entertainment, no work and where their friends do not reside.

If they wish for these things in life they are obliged to travel from the villages to nearby towns to engage in them. It is when these young people from the villages finally settle down and start a family of their own do they see the present quality of life within the village they left and it is then they desire to return to give their own offspring the chance to flourish there.

The problem then of course is the space they resided in within the villages is now taken up by someone else and so there is no room for them without building expansion. If their desires (not needs) are satisfied they then become part of the destructive force which will destroy the very thing they seek.

Once again I ask “Just how long can this go on?”

ANTONY HAWORTH,

Pendleside Close,

Sabden