CLITHEROE Town Council is calling on a cabinet minister to have his say on plans to construct 1,040 houses in the town.

The proposal, which was the biggest planning application in the history of the Ribble Valley, was approved by the borough council in December.

The proposal was submitted to the borough in October 2012 by the trustees of the Standen Estate and includes 728 market homes, and 312 affordable homes.

At a meeting on Monday night, the town council voted to ask the secretary of state communities and local government, Eric Pickles, to ‘call in’ the borough’s decision.

Most planning applications are decided by local authorities, but the secretary of state has reserve powers to direct the authority to refer an application to them for decision.

Town councillor Sue Knox said: “Because of the size of the application the secretary of state has to decide if there is enough evidence to call it in. It is incomprehensible that the council could decide on such a huge application that will change the nature of Clitheroe a week before the hearing in public by the planning inspector into the core strategy.”

Town councillor Jim Shervey said: “I am shocked the application was approved against the advice of the Lancashire County Council highways department.” The county questioned access and severe traffic disruption at the Waterloo/Shawbridge Street junction.