Development of 85 houses in Wilpshire refused by council

In August 2023, Persimmon Homes submitted revised plans for the construction of a housing development at Salesbury View, Wilpshire, having withdrawn a previous application in 2022.

The housing provider said the homes, a mix of two, three, four, and five-bedroom properties, would “provide a sustainable community” with a mix of housing types and tenures within the development.

The development did not receive local backing though, with many people writing to the council to object to the development and local parishes were also unhappy at the prospect.

The proposed location of the new development (Image: Persimmon Homes)

One objector said: “We are a rural area with wonderful wildlife, including deer, and green spaces provide us with lively walks.

“The roads around Wilpshire are congested at peak times within the week and as busy at the weekend. A further 85 houses will only add to that by more than 85 vehicles each day.”

Another person noted the steep entrance to the site could pose safety concerns, particularly for residents and visitors with mobility impairments, and during icy and wet weather.

READ MORE: Plans for 85 new homes to be built in village

Blackburn with Darwen Council, given Wilpshire’s proximity to the border, was consulted and in a document raised concerns about the impact it would have on the borough.

The council said as the site was in an elevated position it would be visible from a number of vantage points within Blackburn with Darwen and would result in a “high magnitude of visual change”.

It also noted that many people in the proposed estate would be likely to access services such as education and health within the borough, putting a strain on those services and affecting access for people living in Blackburn with Darwen.

85 homes were planned for the site (Image: Persimmon Homes)

Persimmon Homes withdrew an application for this site in 2022 after it was recommended by the planning officer to be refused.

At the time, they said: “The proposed development would result in an unacceptable form of development on a prominent hillside location which would exacerbate their dominance in the street scene and wider public viewpoints to the detriment of visual amenity.”

Wilpshire Parish Council did recognise the need for more housing, but felt this should be in the form of bungalows and apartments, which this development did not satisfy.

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They added: “Although the parish council feel that this development should be refused and is the wrong development for this land, should the officer recommend approval the parish council would like to see the following items included in any Section 106 agreement – a playground on the site, a contribution towards new equipment on the Durham Road play area, and a new footbridge and steps over Showley Brook.”

Ramsgreave Parish Council strongly objected to the plans.

In a decision notice, Ribble Valley Borough Council said: "The proposed development would be on a prominent hillside location at the edge of a settlement and adjacent to the greenbelt.

"The proposed development fails to be visually attractive and sympathetic to the area's character by virtue of the layout, density, house types, and scales, inadequate green buffers and significant changes to the landform, appealing overly dominant and incongruous in the street scene and from wider public viewpoints to the detriment of visual amenity."

The proposed layout of the development (Image: Persimmon Homes)

In total, 85 homes were planned for the site. A design and access statement said the area is a greenfield site currently comprising an open field and grazing land.

The proposals included 25 affordable homes, making up 29 per cent of the overall development – six being two-bedroom houses and 19 being three-bedroom.

Of the remaining 60 homes, 21 were planned to be three-bedroom, 35 four-bedroom, and four marked for five-bedroom.

All houses within the proposed development would have been allocated a minimum of two car parking spaces, which included on-plot parking and detached garages. Ten visitor parking spaces would have been provided across the development.