COUNCIL chiefs are looking at new ways to force builders to complete developments in the Ribble Valley

Complaints about untidy sites or slow progress have been made by residents and councillors and Ribble Valley Council is now considering following Government guidelines to buy land off developers with financial difficulties.

But the council has no money set aside in its budget to buy out land and half-completed projects.

The council's director of legal service, Paul Timson, has drawn up a report to be discussed at the planning and development committee on Thursday night.

It states: "From time to time concern has been expressed by individual councillors about sites in the Ribble Valley where planning permission has been given and the development is either proceeding very slowly or has stopped usually due to lack of finance on the part of the developer.

"Such sites are often in a very untidy condition and give rise to complaints from adjoining residents.

"The council's powers to compel a developer to finish a development within a reasonable period are very limited.

"In most cases the only course open to the council, if it wishes to secure the completion of such developments, is to acquire the site either by agreement or by the use of compulsory purchase order."

The report concludes that the council's powers are inadequate and the only money set aside for buying land is to buy areas for car parks in Whalley, Ribchester and Waddington.

The recommendation is that officers look at the extent of the problem and draw up a list of priority sites for action.