FURIOUS villagers stormed out of a Lancashire County Council meeting after losing their long-running battle to block plans to build 57 houses near their Ribble Valley homes.

Developers Holden Homes caused a storm of protest when they unveiled plans to build the executive homes on land off Whalley New Road, Billington. The development was given the go-ahead by Ribble Valley Council last year.

Villagers have claimed the development will blight the countryside and cause traffic chaos.

Their last-ditch attempt to block the development failed when the county council's highways and transport sub-committee approved a traffic scheme aimed at improving access to the site by 10 votes to six. Ribble Valley County Coun Chris Holtom said around 30 angry residents who attended the meeting had to be called to order after the scheme was approved.

"This is a 10-year row over a single access road just 12 feet wide to a site with more than 50 houses," explained Coun Holtom

"If every house has a car then at busy periods it will be absolute chaos. No amount of traffic-calming measures will make a narrow gap any wider. Last year I presented a 1,300-signature petition objecting to this scheme to fellow committee members.

"The parish council, three district councillors, myself as county councillor and the local MP are also against the scheme."

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