DEVELOPERS want to construct 500 homes on the outskirts of a Pendle village.

Peel Investments has announced its plan to seek permission to construct the homes from the Barrowford bypass to Wheatley Lane Road and across the the Wheatley Springs estate on the edge of Barrowford.

The ‘masterplan’ for the area, labelled Trough Laithe by the company, has met anger from nearby residents.

The company has not yet submitted a planning application to Pendle Council but is holding a consultation at Holmefield House in Gisburn Road on July 24, from 3pm to 8pm.

In a leaflet the developer said the site will give a £3.7m new homes bonus to the council, £900,000 to Lancashire County Council and £860,000 in council tax to Pendle Council.

The company also claims there will be a £9.5m ‘uplift’ in gross annual income from the new employed residents given construction jobs.

Frances Laycock, 74, who was born and raised in Barrowford, said: “I can’t get my head around it, it’s a real shock.

“I’m very disappointed this plan has come out and the people I have spoken to are all against it.

“I do not see why they can’t refurbish old houses to meet the need instead of building on green belt land.

“It’s a beautiful area and this will spoil it.”

Lancashire County Councillor Christian Wakeford, who represents the area, said: “I have been speaking to people regarding this and there are reoccurring concerns.

“The health service and the roads will struggle if this goes ahead and the schools are already at capacity.

“The other Barrowford councillors and I are going to organise a meeting to hear what everybody has to say.

“At the moment I think the residents are split on it but there is more of a leaning towards opposing it.

“I’m not anti-development but I do think that 500 homes is too much for this area.”

In a leaflet circulated to residents a spokesman for Peel Developments said: “It is generally agreed that there is a national housing shortage.

“Like most of the UK, Pendle needs more homes for families and workers to help the economy grow.

“Pendle Borough Council has recognised this requirement for new housing to meet the needs of both the existing and future population of the area.

“The site is in a sustainable geographical location.”