CHANGES to a multi-million pound flagship Blackburn housing development including 72 extra homes have been branded 'a disgrace' by local Conservative councillors.

Blackburn with Darwen Council's planning committee approved the revised scheme for 149 new smaller and affordable homes as part of the latest two phases at Kingswood Homes Green Hills estate of more than 400 properties, just outside Feniscowles. This was despite the protests of Livesey with Pleasington ward's Cllrs Paul Marrow and Derek Hardman.

The new scheme comprises 112 affordable homes (53 rental and 59 shared ownership) and 37 open market homes, with associated landscaping and open space.

The proposals submitted to Blackburn with Darwen Council in July revised a previously approved scheme in the light of changing market conditions to include more smaller and affordable homes, mainly semi-detached and terraced houses.

They include an additional 72 properties on the 12.4 acre site of Hordern Rake.

Social housing provider Together Housing Group (TGH) will manage the affordable homes with the remaining 37 to be sold by Kingswood on the open market.

Conservative group planning spokesman Cllr Marrow told the meeting on Thursday night: "The report recommending approval is a disgrace."

He highlighted problems with the road surface, flooding and lack of a continuous footpath on Broken Stone Road leading up the new estate and said Kingswood Homes had only submitted the changes because it could not sell the bigger 'executive' homes originally proposed because of overdevelopment in the Gib Lane area.

Cllr Marrow said: "Nobody is happy about this. The residents are not happy.

"Broken Stone Road is not fit for purpose. It is a death trap.

"I did not realise that builders' profit margins were a material consideration.

"This council has failed the residents."

Cllr Hardman said: "This is an absolute disgrace. It's more houses for more council tax."

Planning manager Gavin Prescott responded that his department's recommendation for approval followed a careful assessment of all the issues involved including highway safety and drainage.

The council's growth boss Cllr Quesir Mahmood said the new proposal was a good scheme offering much-needed affordable two and three-bedroomed homes for rent.

He added: "We want people to be able to have a decent quality of life in Blackburn."

Ewood Labour councillor Jim Casey said: "We want local people in the town to be able to live in decent homes in decent areas.

"We should applaud this new affordable housing."

Planning committee chairman Cllr Dave Smith, who asked Mr Prescott to look carefully at the highway safety and footpath issues on Broken Stone Road, said: "We all know there is a dire need for these kinds of affordable homes."

The committee granted planning permission with 25 conditions including a payment from Kingswood Homes of £386,124 with Cllrs Marrow and Hardman voting against approval.

This Section 106 contribution will used for additional primary school places and places for children with special educational needs and disabilities in West Blackburn and improvements to Witton Medical Centre.

The approval was made despite 68 objections from fellow Livesey with Pleasington ward Tory Cllr Mark Russell and nearby residents.

Their concerns include over-development of the area for housing, road safety, traffic and drainage.

The mix of homes approved is 23 two-bedroom dwellings, six of which are bungalows; 69 three-bedroom properties; and 57 four-bedroom houses.

 

Paul Jones, Managing Director of Kingswood Homes, stated, "Our vision for Green Hills has always been to create a thriving, inclusive community.

 

"This new phase represents our dedication to addressing the pressing need for mixed tenure homes while maintaining the high standards of quality and design that Kingswood Homes is known for." 

 

Dai Howells, Assistant Director of Development at Together Housing said: “We’re pleased to be working with Kingswood Homes on our aligned vision to create a community that offers high-quality, affordable homes in the Blackburn area. 

 

"Our commitment to responding to diverse housing needs in the town has been a driving force of our investment in the borough which has been strengthened by the approval of this next phase of the Green Hills development.”