Next Tuesday, a government planning inspector will start an 8 day process of publicly examining Blackburn with Darwen Council’s planning strategy which includes proposals for 4,000 executive-style homes to be placed on greenfield sites.

The Local Plan has already been submitted and a public hearing is planned to take place on 2nd Dec to 11th Dec at Blackburn Old Town Hall, (whilst extra time can be allocated is required).

If the inspector approves the plan it will go to the Council Forum next early next year, with the scheme covering 1,200 acres of greenfield sites to the north and west of Blackburn and around Darwen is being earmarked for the development of 4,000 executive homes.

The regeneration policy was changed to the stated aim of “Ribble Valley executive homes at Backburn with Darwen prices” which will see 10 sites developed to help the council meet its targets of 9,400 new properties in the next 15 years.

Whilst some of the council’s plans have been criticised for threatening the countryside, the positioning of the proposed sites means there will be less impact on individual areas and should provide a huge boost for the construction industry in Lancashire and the North West more generally.

The sites the council is hoping to develop include: Blackburn Rugby Club, 200 homes; Brownhill Drive, currently green belt, 300 plus; Preston New Road, near Scarr Lane, 150 plus; Parsonage Road, Wilpshire, 60; Yew Tree Drive (Barker Lane to Preston New Road) 200 plus; Gib Lane, 500 plus houses on two sites; Bailey’s Field Darwen, 500 plus; Kirkham’s Farm, Cranberry Lane, Darwen, 200; Pole Lane, Darwen 264 on two sites; and Jack’s Key reservoir, dozens of homes in small pockets.