Some of the properties on the Higher Croft site, formerly council housing, will be affordable homes, some for private rent and some for open market sale
The first new homes on a major Blackburn housing estate have been completed and are ready for people to move in.
The seven properties at ‘Brookfield Vale’ are the beginning of a major development of 377 properties on three disused ‘brownfield’ plots of land off Fishmoor Drive and Roman Road.
Some of the properties on the Higher Croft site, formerly council housing, will be affordable homes, some for private rent and some for open market sale.
They have been built by Countryside Properties (UK) Ltd and Together Housing Group and Sigma Capital.
The organisations’ bosses were joined by representatives from Blackburn with Darwen Council to celebrate the first completions on a site near Fishmoor Reservoir long earmarked by the council for redevelopment.
Mark Hadfield, Countryside’s managing director of Merseyside and Cheshire West, said: We’re delivering on Blackburn’s housing needs while breathing life into a previously neglected area of the town.
Cllr Phil Riley, leader of Blackburn and Darwen Council, said: This project is a terrific example of what partnership working can achieve.
As a council, we are committed to improving the quality of homes in our borough and schemes like these are fundamental in helping to achieve that goal while also offering affordable options, Cllr Riley said. We look forward to seeing more homes being completed soon and the installation of a new play park.
The site is a mixed-tenure development of two, three and four-bedroom homes.
Twenty per cent of the 377 homes will deliver affordable housing through Together Housing Group.
A further 154 homes will be available for rent, managed by Sigma Capital Group under its brand Simple Life Homes. The remaining 154 homes will be for open market sale.
Countryside has committed to a developer’s contribution of £395,000 towards local schools.
Hilary Brady, Together Housing Group’s development director, said: Disused land has been brought back into use.
Brady said: The project will benefit the area by providing affordable, high-quality energy-efficient homes which will offer a good mix of tenure choices to meet a variety of housing needs, create employment opportunities and lift the appearance of the area.