RUNDOWN Victorian terrace houses in Accrington are on target to be turned into modern family homes.

A £10million project got underway in June to transform the derelict Wood-nook area into a new neighbourhood.

Developer PlaceFirst who, along with Twin Valley Homes, have been carrying out the project with Hyndburn Council, said the project was on track, and will see the first families moving in by next summer.

Two show homes should be ready by the end of the month.

PlaceFirst associate director Martin Ellerby said: “We are still aiming for the end of November.

“The project is going as well as expected.

“It’s moving along at the pace we needed it to be moving at.

“The Woodnook project shows that in a town with a lot of terrace properties, you can bring new life into them.”

The two show properties, in Hudson Street and Augusta Street, will boast energy-saving measures, such as insulation and energy-efficient heating.

Once the properties are finished, a ‘before-and-after’ thermal image will be released, showing the eff-iciency of the refurbished homes, said Mr Ellerby.

He added: “A lot of the energy saving can’t be seen in a lot of cases.

“It’s hidden in the walls, for example.

“We expect to start showing people around in the New Year, and the show homes will show two and three-bedroom conversions.

“We are keeping the heritage of Woodnook, but bringing forward fair value rental properties that a lot of families don’t currently have access to.”

Hyndburn MP Graham Jones visited the area at the weekend.

Mr Jones said: “The show homes will be very impressive.

“People who visit will be pleasantly surprised at how well Victoria terrace houses can be remodelled into a more desirable contemporary property,” he added