THE transformation of a moorland eyesore into a new housing estate will come a step closer next week.

The detailed planning application for the 72 homes on the site of the Vernon Carus Mill near Hoddlesden is recommended for approval by Thursday's meeting of Blackburn with Darwen Planning Committee.

Developer Kingswood Homes has stressed the rural nature of the new estate's design.

It includes an apartment block with 13 two-bedroomed flats and a single one-bedroomed flat.

In addition there will be two semi-detached three-bedroomed houses, 12 detached three-bedroomed house, 39 detached homes with four bedrooms and five detached five-bedroomed houses.

A report to councillors recommends approval despite 63 objections from the public to the development of the seven-acre site on grounds of highway, public services and the impact on the character of Hoddlesden Village arising from the number of homes proposed.

It says: "Assessment of the application establishes that the proposal will deliver a high quality bespoke housing development.

"The site has been vacant since 2003 when the former textiles production ceased.

"The mill was subject of a major fire in 2008 and the buildings on site were demolished in 2009.

"To maintain a softer, more rural vernacular, ‘urban-style’ boundary treatments have been kept to a minimum.

"Local stone walls frame the entrance to the site and tie in with the existing walls along Johnson New Road whilst either stone or brick piers with close boarded fences are used where plot boundaries face the street.

"These are softened with planting to create a more rural aesthetic.

"Low-level hedgerows to front garden boundaries soften the street-scape to provide a more rural, characterful vernacular.

"Kingswood’s 'Farmstead' range of house types is proposed, in response to site’s heritage and its rural fringe position and to provide a sense of integration with the defining village character traits of Hoddlesden.

"These house types are a successful range at the Green Hills development, on land to the West of Gib Lane, Blackburn, which occupies a comparative rural fringe position.

"Key design aspects of the house types are as follows:

"dwellings will be constructed of a mix of red and grey brick, white render, reconstituted stone and timber and grey cladding;

"dwellings fronting onto Johnson New Road will generally be constructed of reconstituted stone to create a strong visual connection with the stone faced vernacular of Hoddlesden Village Centre; and

"the apartment building fronting onto Johnson New Road will be constructed of reconstituted stone but will include timber cladding and detailing on the lift shaft to provide an appearance of a chimney, likened to that of the former Hoddlesden Mill."