ANGRY Whalley residents boycotted a Co-operative store over the organisation’s plans to build houses in the village.

The Save Whalley Village group, staged a demonstration outside The Co-op’s shop and garage on the A59 on Saturday morning.

Dozens carrying ‘Whalley Says No To More Homes’ placards were campaigning against plans by the Co-op group to build 80 houses on fields off Riddings Lane, Whalley.

Mike Harper, a spokesman for the group, said: “We were very pleased with the turnout and we want people to know that what the Co-op is trying to do in our area goes against some of their own ethical policies of protecting wildlife and local communities.

“We want to preserve our rural landscape and all the sites are attractive green fields near the village centre. If these houses get built, developers will want to build more.”

On Thursday, the Riddings Lane application and two others go before borough council chiefs and all are recommended for approval.

The other plans are for 39 homes on land off Whalley New Road, Billington, and 30 apartments, two houses and a 40-bed nursing home on the former Barkers Garden Centre in Whalley Road, Clitheroe.

Mr Harper said: “With so many sites being built on soon you won’t be able to tell Billington from Whalley from Barrow.”

The Save Whalley group was formed last October amid concerns about the Ribble Valley being ‘swamped with new housing’.

It came after Ribble Valley Council launched a strategy in September outlining the need to create at least 161 homes per year in the borough.