PROPOSALS for dozens of new affordable homes are recommended for approval despite concerns from community leaders.

An application to build 31 new homes on land at Petre Wood Close in Langho will go before a Ribble Valley Council planning and development committee next week.

Billington and Langho Parish Council has objected to the scheme.

They say the site is outside the defined settlement area, GP surgeries and schools are oversubscribed and roads will struggle to deal with increased traffic.

It is proposed the development will be 100 per cent affordable with 16 units being for affordable rent and the remaining 15 being for shared ownership.

A Great Places spokesman said: “This site has been part of ongoing discussions with Ribble Valley Council over a number of years.

“Two phases of housing development have already been built as affordable homes by Great Places.

“This would be the final phase of residential development and the scheme would reflect housing mix and tenure requirements in line with policy.

“The social rent homes will be let via nominations from Ribble Valley Council. Rent levels will be set in line with restrictions for social rent.

“There will be a minimal service charge and no ground rent payable on the scheme. Residents who are offered a property will have to complete a stringent affordability check to ensure they can afford the rent payments before they are allocated a property.”

A report to go before the committee states Great Places will look to secure funding from Homes England to help deliver the development.

It adds although anyone with a household income of less than £80,000 would be eligible to buy the shared ownership units, Great Places has agreed to work with Ribble Valley Council to market them locally in the hope they will be snapped up by people from the borough.

Failing that, the houses would then be marketed to a wider audience.

The report adds: “Taking account all material considerations, it is considered the proposal represents a suitable form of development that responds positively to the inherent character of the area and adjacent built form.

“It is further considered, taking account of the separation distances between existing and proposed dwellings that the proposal would not result in any significant detrimental impact upon existing or future residential amenity.

“For these reasons, the application is considered to be in broad alignment with the development strategy for the borough and will assist in the delivery of affordable housing

“As such the application is recommended for approval.”