An engineering firm has said it has done nothing wrong after a concerned resident thought it had begun digging up public land without permission.

The land, which sits behind Mill Hill Heavy Engineering in Albert Street, backs onto Bedford Street and Goit Street and was thought by the man to be owned by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

However, bosses at the engineering factory say they purchased a portion of the land from the council a few years ago so they could expand the business and build on the site.

They did acknowledge some dug up ground had been piled on council land, but that it would be removed in a timely manner.

Lancashire Telegraph: The land at the rear of Mill Hill Heavy EngineeringThe land at the rear of Mill Hill Heavy Engineering (Image: NQ Staff)

The resident, who did not wish to be named, said the owners of Mill Hill Heavy Engineering had begun digging up the land and had built a track from the back of the factory all the way up to Bedford Street.

The man also claimed as a result, some of the ground had been weakened underneath properties on nearby Springbank Close - but the firm said this had been fixed by the council.

He said: “They are digging up council owned land behind Mill Hill Heavy Engineering on Albert Street.

“The plot of land has been unused for a number of years and did contain a pond which had wildlife in and numerous aquatic wildlife species.

“The people who own Mill Hill Heavy Engineering have started to do some sort of building work on their property and have decided to dig and pile up the soil and debris.

“They have dug out onto this land which has taken over nearly half of the said site.

Lancashire Telegraph: The land at the rear of Mill Hill Heavy EngineeringThe land at the rear of Mill Hill Heavy Engineering (Image: NQ Staff)

“The digging has also weakened the ground underneath the houses to the rear on Springbank Close and these residents have now complained, as this has happened before a number of years ago and they had to be evacuated from their homes as their gardens had dropped and the actual foundations of their homes were showing.

“I am not sure whether they have got the correct planning permission for these works but they certainly should not be doing some of these things.”

A spokesperson for Mill Hill Heavy Engineering said the firm had purchased part of that vacant plot of land some years ago, and had permission to build on the site.

They said they were now carrying out that work and as a result, some of the ground and soil being dug up had been placed on part of land owned by the council, but would be removed once the development progresses.

The spokesperson also said that some subsidence of properties in Springbank Close did occur a few years ago, but the council had been to rectify that, although some of the soil from that work had been left behind.

Lancashire Telegraph: The land at the rear of Mill Hill Heavy EngineeringThe land at the rear of Mill Hill Heavy Engineering (Image: NQ Staff)

The spokesperson said: “A few years ago there was some slippage of land between us and Spring Bank Court but that was fixed by the council, although there was quite a bit of soil and land left behind.

“The land that’s been dug up recently belongs to us but some of the soil has been put on council land, but all of that will end up being put back at some stage once the foundations are laid.”

The expansion of Mill Hill Heavy Engineering will hopefully result in the creation of another 15 to 20 jobs in the area.

A Blackburn with Darwen Council spokesperson said: “The council has been made aware of this. We will investigate this further and take whatever action is appropriate.”