A LIBERAL Democrat councillor has welcomed the saving of two trees as part of the approval of four new homes on a 1950s former council estate.

The proposal for the ‘modular’ properties on a former garage site on the corner of Shadsworth Road, Dunoon Drive, and Orkney Close in Blackburn was granted planning permission on Thursday night.

The scheme by Together Housing is part of its £20million overhaul of Blackburn’s Shadsworth estate.

Blackburn with Darwen Council's planning committee was told that originally four trees were to be chopped down for the project but officers has agreed to reduce that to two.

And Together Housing had agreed to plant four more nearby.

Darwen East LibDem committee members Cllr Paul Browne said afterwards: "I am very pleased with this.

"Obviously I would have preferred it if no trees had been lost but if this is needed for the houses to go ahead so be it.

"At last we seem to be taking trees seriously."

A similar 'infill' housing development of two three-bedroom homes in Brodick Road had already been approved and a third such scheme for five three bed properties in Brownlow Street is still being considered.

In February the social housing provider also applied for planning permission for a new single-storey youth hub behind an existing shopping and community complex off Rothesay Road.

The new three-bed, five person terraced houses with six new car parking spaces were approved with 20 conditions.

The partially factory-built homes will be fitted with solar panels and air source heat pumps to cut bills and carbon emissions.

The committee debated the application after the receipt of a 27 signature petition objecting to the loss of four established trees.