Consultation open for Leyland greenfield land

Redrow Homes and the Homes & Communities Agency have submitted a masterplan to South Ribble Council for 500 homes and public amenities at a site next to Worden Park in Leyland.

The scheme on Altcar Lane and Leyland Lane will include green spaces and two ponds, as well as an extension to the park.

Residents are being invited to have their say on the proposals as part of a consultation which will run for the next six weeks until midnight on Sunday 15 November.

There will also be two drop-in events with experts on hand to give advice and answer questions.

The first will take place at Wade Hall Community Centre on Monday 12 October, from 3:15pm to 7pm; while the other will be held at Leyland Lane Baptist Church Hall from 3pm to 7pm on Thursday 15 October.

Those who are unable to make it to the events will be able to view the proposals in full at Leyland Library, the Civic Centre in West Paddock during office hours, or any time at www.southribble.gov.uk/consultations

The Government has told South Ribble Borough Council that it must find land to build 417 homes per year up to 2026 and help deliver the Altcar Lane site, which was allocated for housing following previous and extensive consultations with the community. The development also forms part of the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal, which will deliver substantial transport, infrastructure and community improvements over the next ten years.

Following the consultation, the next steps will be to consider all the feedback raised, which will shape the production of a more detailed planning application, which will be submitted to South Ribble Borough Council by Redrow and the HCA. The community will again be consulted as part of the planning application and decision-making process.

Cllr Cliff Hughes, South Ribble Council’s cabinet member with responsibility for strategic planning and housing, said: “I’ve said before that, while major development can be inconvenient for some people, any short-term pain during construction will be far outweighed by the long-term gains, and this is a great example of that. Development funds regeneration schemes in the hearts of our towns and villages, and paves the way for new facilities and amenities, and in this instance we have an exciting possibility to improve Worden Park while providing a mix of quality housing, a proportion of which will be affordable.

“South Ribble is growing, and the council is in a formidable position to manage its growth to ensure the best possible outcome for our communities, which is always our over-riding priority. To that end, it is important that our planning experts are available to give advice to people, and I’m grateful to Redrow and the Homes & Communities Agency for making their representatives available during the consultation. I now urge people to get involved and take this golden opportunity to make their voices heard.”