A PETITION signed by 900 people calling for the council to reject large housing plans for Longridge is to be debated.

Last month the Save Longridge Campaign group handed over the petition, backed by MP Nigel Evans, to the council.

Now councillors on the planning and development committee will discuss their response to the petition during a meeting next week.

The petition called on the council to ‘resist the arguments’ of Taylor Wimpey, Barratts, Millers and Gladmans to increase new home numbers in the town.

It also urges councillors to support and maintain the 200-home reduction in the number of new houses to be built contained in the Ribble Valley Development Plan, known as the ‘Longridge Adjustment’.

The debate comes ahead of the closing date of the additional consultation period for the council’s Core Strategy, on September 7.

The council officer’s recommendation to the committee is that the petition is passed to the government inspector who is writing a report into the housing plan.

In a report to the committee, Colin Hirst, the council’s head of regeneration and housing, said: “The council must decide how to respond to the petition at this meeting. The council will consider all the actions it can potentially take on the issues high-lighted in the petition.

"The petition organiser will receive written confirmation of the decision taken. The points raised by the petition support the position being promoted by the council in the Core Strategy.”

Petitions which have been signed by more than 600 people can be presented to the council during a public participation session.

It will be debated at the Ribble Valley Borough Council Chamber, Clitheroe, on Thursday, August 21, from 6.30pm.