CAMPAIGNERS fighting a bid to stop more than 100 homes being built in a Ribble Valley village say they are disappointed the development has been given the go-ahead.

A planning inspector has ruled that the plan to build 104 homes at Barrow should go ahead in order to supply a shortfall of housing in the Ribble Valley.

The decision for the Barrow Brook Business Village site will see 73 open market dwellings and 31 social housing properties built on the open land between Barrow and the A59.

Campaigners who were against the bid say the decision will ruin the small community.

However planning inspector Susan Heywood said the borough needed to supply more affordable housing in line with government guidelines.

In her decision statement she said: “The appeal development would contribute to the supply of housing in an area where the council are not able to demonstrate a five-year supply of land for housing.

“This would be a significant benefit in this appeal. The loss of the site from the council’s employment land supply would not cause significant harm and there are no other factors which weigh against the proposal.”

Chairman of the Barrow Community Action Group Tony Bracewell said: “I’m disappointed but not surprised.

“These applications for housing developments are endless and it seems there is nothing we can do about them.

“It will ruin our small community.

“It just seems that things are set up in such a way that these applications can ride roughshod over what the local community wants.”

Applicants Papillon Properties said the development would assist in addressing the ‘significant deficit’ in housing that exists in the borough for aff-ordable housing.

In their appeal statement they said: “The development will facilitate the provision of both market and social housing in close proximity to existing and proposed employment oppor-tunities.

“Similarly, an increased population will support existing local facilities and provide the catalyst for the provision of additional facilities.”

  • An application to build up to 504 homes on land to the south-west of Barrow and west of Whalley Road by the Barrow Lands Company Ltd is still to be decided.