Local residents have expressed their 'horror' at a proposal to close Hansons Garden Centre near Clitheroe in Lancashire to make way for a housing development.

Barrow Residents’ Action group has hit out at the plans to close the garden centre in the village and build 62 houses on the site.

Margaret Mayor, who attended a public consultation on the proposal in June, said the village does not need more houses and jobs should be preserved.

Mrs Mayor reiterated the concerns of other people at the meeting such as worries over land grabbing and the loss of jobs and the capacity of the sewerage system.

She also questioned whether the infrastructure such as schools and roads would be able to cope with the large increase in houses.

I D Planning of Leeds, which is acting as agent for proprietor Chris Hanson, said the development would be set back by 15 metres from Clitheroe Golf Course after concerns were raised at the meeting that it would be too near.

Included in the plans are 34 houses with three bedrooms, 15 properties with two bedrooms and 13 houses with four bedrooms.

Rachael Bower, 40, from Clitheroe, said: “I find the garden centre very useful to have in the borough because it saves a long trip to Blackburn in order for you to get something for a weekend project.

“I understand that people might not go every week but without it I think people will notice a difference.”

Mark Gavin, 56, from Whalley, said: “From a business point of view it must make sense but having 62 more houses in Barrow will be terrible for the village.

“It has the prospect of more than 500 already hanging over it and this will just add even more pressure on the local infrastructure.”

Helen Carrow, 47, from Whalley, said: “The traffic along Clitheroe Road and Whalley Road will be horrendous and will offer no benefit to the area.

“It’s sad that a local business is not able to carry on but more housing is not in the best interests of the Ribble Valley.”