Campaigners fear the future of a beautiful corner of an East Lancs Valley has been left in the ‘hands of just a few people’ – as diggers roll in to ‘concrete it over’.

In late 2021, Rossendale Council granted permission to Taylor Wimpey to build 130 new homes on Holden Vale, south of Grane Road in Helmshore.

Grane Residents Association (GRASS) has campaigned to protect the site for years. It says it is important for people, and wildlife and preventing floods to rivers and communities downstream.

It also suggests brownfield sites should be developed elsewhere and is monitoring early preparations before any homes are built.

GRASS member Margaret Murray said when planning approval was given residents were given assurances robust pre-build conditions had been included in the planning conditions to protect the environment.

But now campaigners are concerned just three people at Rossendale Council have been delegated the role of approving changes to some of these pre-build conditions.

Ms Murray fears they can be changed “without even so much as a phone call to our three elected Helmshore councillors or local residents groups”.

She is also concerned about traffic issues on “already struggling” roads may see their consequences felt across the Valley.

Other concerns about the development include pressure on local schools, doctors, and dentists – as well as destruction of the peat wetland which “acts as a buffer to any flood water running off from the Haslingden Grane moors”.

Ms Murray says an alternative site for homes already existed in a brownfield location at the former Birtwistle's Mill, before the Taylor Wimpey bid went before planners.

A Rossendale Council spokesman said: " The planning committee resolution for this application delegated any future alterations to the wording of the planning conditions to the committee chairman, vice chairman and the head of planning.

“Any changes to the wording of the conditions are legitimate and in-line with the resolution, as long as it has been agreed with the chairman, vice chairman and the head of planning, who have all confirmed their agreement. All local councillors have regularly been kept up to date as well.

“The changes have been to the wording of the conditions to allow a phased implementation of site investigation or development and the changes to the wording have also been agreed with the relevant statutory consultees such as the Environment Agency and the council’s contamination consultant.

"Therefore, it doesn’t change the requirement to undertake certain works – just that it be done in a phased manner.

“It is also important to note this does not change the requirement for the developer to submit information in discharge of conditions applications which would be sent to the council and determined by us, prior to commencement of development.”

Taylor Wimpey has said the Helmshore development will provide much-needed homes with quality materials, features and landscape work All the details and technical matters were acceptable to planning officers and other authorities, and the plans went through multiple consultations.

Without the Helmshore site and other allocated sites being used, Rossendale would be left open to speculative development elsewhere, it was argued.

Cash contributions by Taylor Wimpey were proposed for local schools, sports and recreation facilities, and new shrubs, trees and recreation space for the site.