MORE than 1,200 houses in the Ribble Valley are still to be built despite developers having already gained planning permission.

Figures up to the end of September show that 867 properties with either full or outline permission have yet to be started.

More than 400 properties on sites which have started construction are also yet to be built.

Work on 335 ‘affordable’ housing sites have also not been started by developers in the borough.

The figures also reveal that work on only 194 properties had begun since receiving planning permission, with a further 98 having been constructed since April.

The borough council recently announced its intention to approve the building of 250 homes a year as part of its five-year housing supply.

Ribble Valley Councillor Sue Knox said: “A very high number of properties have yet to be constructed and it’s very disappointing.

“The developers are land banking and that has a major impact on the borough’s five year housing supply.

“If they had started building work then that would have been counted towards that number but because they have not they will not be taken into account.

“It’s putting communities at risk and it’s very disappointing that they have not started on building the affordable homes at least.”

Nick Walker, chairman of Save Whalley Village Action Group, said: “Developers are clearly land banking until the time comes around that suits them to build.

“The effect of this is that local authorities can’t plan infrastructure improvements effectively because they don’t know how many people will move into the area and when that will happen. It’s causing a lot of concern in the borough and having a detrimental effect on communities.”