A CONTROVERSIAL plan to build a care 'village' has been approved despite concerns.

The care home for up to 50 residents in Billington was passed despite 12 letters of objection, including one from Billington and Langho Parish Council.

The aim of the facility, to be built by Elker Developments Ltd, is to create a ‘village centre with a strong focus on creating a thriving social environment for residents'.

Developers the scheme would create 68 new jobs.

Objectors listed traffic congestion, the expansion of settlement boundaries and the fact that it would be located a ‘considerable distance’ away from towns as reasons to object.

The parish council said: “We are worried about the additional volume of traffic that would be using Elker Lane.

“The road is already heavily congested during school hours and the number of vehicles that park on the road result in the road becoming single track.

“This development would result in a much higher volume of traffic which would only add to the problems already being caused for local residents.”

Ward councillor on Ribble Valley council, which passed the plans, Ged Mirfin said: “The positioning of the facility is a considerable distance away from a local service centre such as Clitheroe or Whalley.

“I wonder how residents of the community will be able to access local town facilities due to the positioning of the home. There are also worries about settlement boundaries which will be extended and additional traffic on roads which will struggle to cope with a further influx of vehicles, especially at busy times at the local school.”

The main building, to be known as ‘the village centre’, will have 50 care bedrooms alongside communal facilities including meeting rooms, a café, library, fitness suite with swimming pool, a small shop and a hairdresser.

The aim of the 'village' is to provide continued care for a variety of ages and health needs. There would be no need for a resident to move on from the facility should certain health issues arise as all care would be catered for within the village.

Posts for carers, gardeners, cooks and a bus driver are expected.

In the design and access statement submitted alongside plans, a spokesperson for the developers said: “[The aim is] to create a pleasant living environment for elderly people where a choice of independent living with assisted care provision can be made whilst providing residents with different levels of health care packages and provisions so that as care needs change, there is no need to move to another community or facility.

“It is also to keep people in their homes as care needs change with age so that residents can still thrive socially, making use of the social facilities on the site, maintain as much independence as possible and at the same time receive the services they need.”