New homes will mean extra cash for council

Despite the good intentions of the protest groups decrying the proposed development at Standen and many other plans here in Clitheroe and elsewhere in the Ribble Valley, I’m afraid the Govermnent’s decree for ever-increasing “new builds” on green belt sites all over the country far outmuscles local feelings.
By The Newsroom
Published 10th Jan 2014, 13:27 BST

As a much larger project, affecting much more greenbelt and population than here in the Valley, the HS2 development will get the go-ahead, despite massive opposition. So, while all this is a big deal for us in the locality, there isn’t much in reality to be done.

However the council still has a duty to the population to provide better infrastructure to accommodate the increases in people needing medical care, schooling, transport etc, so where are the plans for all these items? Still over the horizon, as I see it.

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I’m sure many on these protest groups, while unhappy at the inevitable outcome, might have a begrudging respect for the council if they would come forward with properly worked-out plans to help alleviate some of the problems surely to come in future.

A thousand homes extra in Standen works out, at present levels of council tax, at approximateley £1.2m. per year into council coffers.

Multiply this by all the extra homes down Henthorn, Waddow, Calderstones, Lower Mitton Road and Lawsonsteads in Whalley, plus other sites in the Valley, this will bring in another £1m. a year to the council, and probably more. Even though the horse has bolted, come on council, “smell the coffee”. Even though I’m no planner, I visualise the need for another junior school near Littlemoor, and a surgery with a self-contained pharmacy.

To ease the inevitable gridlock on the roads, mini-roundabouts will be required coming off Littlemoor and Primrose onto the main road, as well as a road upgrade onto the bypass and a roundabout.

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Sorry, you people on the new Henthorn development, your best bet for freedom of movement will be to go south through Mitton before you gridlock, at peak times, at Calderstones, just like it was in the 1950s pre-bypass.

Still, if you can leave your car on the drive in these parts, I’m sure a railway station at the top of Henthorn park would be extra beneficial, even for a short trip into town.

Come on, council, as the old saying goes “Where’s the meat?” If any council planners would like some well thought-out advice, I’ll help you out in my retirement.

G.A. Reynolds

Bonnygrass Terrace, Clitheroe

Related topics:StandenClitheroeRibble ValleyHS2