A NEW housing estate is to be built in Darwen - as long as the developer stumps up more than £151,000 to help improve the area.

Hargreaves Homes has asked to build 112 houses on land off Marsh House Lane and Pole Lane.

A report urges Blackburn with Darwen councillors to approve the project, despite objections from residents and businesses.

But officers want a condition that cash will be provided for traffic-calming plus provision and future maintenance of nearby Blacksnape playing fields.

The site will accommodate a mixture of detached and mews-style properties, with two 'open spaces' for recreational use.

Residents in Pole Lane and Spire Close have complained about the potential loss of privacy caused by the new houses. Canopies UK has also written to express concern. In a letter to be shown to the planning committee on Thursday, the firm's bosses state: "We envisage that residents of the proposed development will suffer a severe loss of amenity because of our operating processes.

"The materials we use contain styrene which create an unmistakeable odour during our manufacturing process. The strength of this depends on weather.

"If this development goes ahead we feel that it would only be a matter of time before residents make a complaint either about the odour or noise from our factory, because we have radios and start at 7am."

Planning officers believe this nuisance can be kept to a minimum by insisting on a high mound of earth next to the factory, which will be topped off with trees and a fence.