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Campaigners have launched a bid to ‘Keep Rossendale Valley Green’ in the face of stringent Government housing development requirements.

Hundreds of people have signed a petition urging the Prime Minister to rethink demands - revealed in last week’s Free Press - for 5,000 new homes to be built in the borough over the next 15 years.

Volunteers went out in force in Whitewell Bottom to launch the campaign to preserve the Valley’s green fields, pitches and recreational areas, a call which received cross-party backing at Rossendale’s full council meeting.

The campaign is calling for local residents to add their signatures to a letter which will be presented to David Cameron asking him to reconsider and allow local people to decide what is best for their area.

Council leader Alyson Barnes said: “We had a great deal of support for the launch of our campaign this weekend - the letter already has over 500 signatures. Local residents are keen to add their names to our letter and show their support for this important issue.

“We are determined to demonstrate that the public opinion is with us on this issue and that the Government should listen to the will of the local people. Building the number of houses that the Government demands would have a hugely negative impact on our infrastructure, services and landscape.”

The revised housing requirement has nearly doubled the housing quota which formed the basis for the council’s ill-fated ‘Lives and Landscapes’ Local Plan proposals, which were shelved last year following more than 2,700 responses.

The letter to PM David Cameron states: “The number of new houses you are making us build are just too much for this area to cope with.”

At a meeting of Rossendale council, members unanimously agreed to support writing to both the Prime Minister and Rossendale MP Jake Berry in protest at the matter. But MP Mr Berry refused to back the campaign, stating that the council’s previous Local Plan was ‘a complete and utter shambles.’