AS more and more employees start to work from home, chief reporter DAVID HIGGERSON looks at the advantages and pitfalls of turning your back on the office. . .

FOR anyone who has ever been caught in a traffic jam, struggled to find a parking space near the office or ended up being delayed on a draughty train station platform, the thought of working from home appeals no end.

While working from home in East Lancashire is not a new phenomenon - farmers would consider working anywhere else impractical - it is certainly becoming much more popular.

So much so, developers are beginning to cash-in on the desire for people to work from home.

This week saw the first planning application in East Lancashire for 'work/live' units - houses with a separate building that could be used as a workshop or office.

A total of 10 are planned within the confines of gated-community Brockhall Village, near Langho, in the Ribble Valley.

And for people who already work from home, the idea of the units may proved very appealing.

In the submission by Brockhall Village Ltd, which is run by developer Gerald Hitman, experts claim small businesses are queuing up to snap up the properties.

Tim Dwelly, a director of the Live/Work Network, said: "People want a better balance and working from home is one way of doing that.

"The impact of technology has had a big impact. And for the community, it also has benefits because it means there are people around all the time."

He added that less people were now prepared to sacrifice family life for a career and wanted a physical divide between work and home.

It is estimated businesses with up to four staff could be based in the units and Ribble Valley Council leader, John Hill, has given it a cautious welcome as he thinks it will encourage more small firms to the area.

Similar unit proposals are being explored elsewhere in East Lancashire - including the Elevate scheme to kickstart the housing market in Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Pendle, Hyndburn and Rossendale, which could see terrace homes converted to provide studios.

In East Lancashire, around 12.7 per cent of people are self-employed.

It is not without its pitfalls, though, with issues over expansion, people not being able to switch off from work, and maintaining a professional image.

Michelle Burton, who runs Rishton Flooring Limited, based in Langho, said: "Work can be in your face all the time, you don't psychologically close for the night. But I still prefer it to the hell of commuting somewhere.

"Having a 'live/work' unit would provide the best of both worlds."

Sonia Gaughen runs a civil engineer firm from her home in Trawden.

She said: "Work can take over the kitchen table but I would still rather work from home so I can be near to the children."

But other homeworkers, such as Tina and Mark Whelan, who run a kitchen business, highlight constant need to make sure their children - including a six-year-old - don't pick up the phone when clients ring.

In total, 25,815 people work 'from home' in East Lancashire, making up a large percentage of the 57,000 who now travel less than two kilometres to work.

And, according to Lancashire County Council, you don't need to be self-employed or a manager. The authority has just signed a three-year contract with Telewest Business to help more of its employees work from home.

As the second largest shire authority in the country with 40,000 employees, the council has had to react quickly to Government initiatives calling on councils to help staff balance their lives.

Rick Woods, ICT manager at the council, said: "Increased cost savings and faster telecommunication connections were key factors in our decision.

"This project will form an important part of the council's home-working initiative, which has been designed to improve the work/life balance of employees and encourage greater levels of efficiency."

Meyrick Vevers, commercial director of Telewest Business, said: "Government regulations have led to a great deal of interest, particularly within the public sector, in technology that can better enable more flexible ways of working."

Blackburn with Darwen Council is also looking at ways to improve its staff work and life balance. But it is not all one-way traffic.

Theresa Robson, public relations officer at Ribble Valley Council, knows all about the benefits and disadvantages of working from home - she's done both.

She explained: "Literally all you need is a phone line and a spare room. You don't have a commute anywhere, you can work at times when it suits you and you're in surroundings you're comfortable with.

"I've worked for companies in Europe from my spare room but I don't think it is something you can do long-term. Now I'm back in an office, I realise how much I miss the banter and the interaction.

"For all its good points, working at home can be a lonely experience."