THERE is growing concern on the present and future shortage of places in Ribble Valley schools.

It's a bit rich for Ribble Valley Council to point a finger at the county council when approval by Ribble Valley planning committee to comparatively large-scale new housing is, in fact, creating the problem.

MP Nigel Evans has called for a halt to house-building in Ribble Valley until the required education facilities are provided.

With regard to additional education finance required, are the developers being asked, as a planning condition, to pay for extensions to schools?

The current example at Salesbury, Clayton-le-Dale and Wilpshire is a good one. The borough's planning committee approved the present development taking place off Ribchester Road of densely-packed four and five bedroom houses.

The views of all three parish councils, supported overwhelmingly by electors, were blatantly ignored - these included the inability of the local Salesbury school to cope with the increase in demand.

The bland answer given to this at Ribble Valley was that if there was increase in demand for school places, the county council would find them (somehow).

Evidently, there is also scant regard for village conservation and community safety. One of the foreseeable consequences of Ribble Valley current planning policy is that large houses will attract at least two cars per house.

Do those in power think that everyone will solely use bicycles, presumable in cycle lanes?

A SCHOFIELD, Ribchester Road, Clayton-le-Dale.

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