TWO major housebuilders have bought a problem piece of land and submitted detailed plans to build 450 new homes on it.

Taylor Wimpey and Barratt Homes have exchanged contracts on the site of Broken Stone Road in Feniscowles in Blackburn and submitted a detailed planning application for the new estate.

It received outline permission for up to 450 new homes in July, 2019 after a long history of failed schemes including a golf course and a holiday village.

The land has also been blighted by tipping.

Taylor Wimpey and Barratt Homes will deliver 225 properties each on the site previously owned by Black Pearl Homes.

News of the purchase and reserved matters planning application has been welcomed by Blackburn with Darwen Council regeneration spokesman Cllr Phil Riley.

His Conservative counterpart and local Livesey with Pleasington ward representative Cllr Paul Marrow has questioned whether the local road system, schools and GP surgeries could cope with so many new houses.

The two firms have promised the scheme will benefit the local community through financial contributions agreed with the outline permission of £750,000 for affordable housing in Blackburn, £2.4million towards education, £350,000 towards green infrastructure and £26,000 towards road safety improvements.

They estimate the development will create 130 full time equivalent construction jobs over five years and generate £57m of construction expenditure.

Cllr Riley said: “It is good news this site is finally being developed. It is an eyesore and has been a problem in the borough for 15 years.”

Cllr Marrow said: “This is a lot of houses and I am concerned that local roads, GP surgeries and schools will be unable to cope.

“Something needs doing with this site but the question is whether so many new homes is the answer. Feniscowles is fast becoming a small town in itself.”

Gareth Bancroft, planning director for Taylor Wimpey Manchester, said: “Should we receive planning permission, our new homes will fit seamlessly into the surrounding countryside.”

Ross Grace, land director at Barratt Homes Manchester, said: “We are delighted to be delivering a range of new homes in Blackburn.

“We will not only be contributing to the area financially but will also be underpinning hundreds of jobs.”

Kingswood Homes are building 435 properties on the other side of Broken Stone Road - one of several large housing developments in the area under the Gib Lane masterplan.