23,000 new homes planned for East Lancashire

Council bosses said the homes were needed to meet the demands of a growing population.

They said the alternative was rising prices, first-time buyers unable to get a home, or people being forced to leave the area.

But green campaigners said they were “appalled at the prospect of haphazard urban sprawl”, and estate agents said there was “no need for new housing in East Lancashire”.

Officers at Blackburn with Darwen Council are planning for the biggest increase, with 9,500 new homes needed by 2025.

Half of those could be built in Darwen, where large amounts of green space to the east of the town has been earmarked for development.

Sayyed Osman, director of neighbourhood, housing and customer services, said the rise was due to the borough’s young population.

He said: “Our comparatively young population means we need more housing to meet the needs and aspirations of first time buyers.

“At the same time, our research shows we need more housing to meet the needs of larger families and more affluent people, who currently move out to other areas.

Coun Roger Frost, executive member for planning and environment for Burnley Council where 1,950 homes will be created, said they had to be planned for despite a large number of house in the borough being empty.

He said: “We are given these lists by the Government and we have to abide by them, or at least bear them in mind.

“If we don’t build the set amount of houses in a year, then those carry over to the list as well.

"With the depression in the housing market in Burnley this can happen.

“From memory I would say there is planning permission granted for around 700 houses where work has not started yet.”

Coun Frost cited large developments at Casterton Avenue and Primrose Mill that had permission but where work was yet to start.

Burnley Council said its plans for new homes were under review, following the scrappage of the Regional Spatial Strategy, but officers were working on the basis that 130 new homes were needed each year for the next 15 years.

The biggest sites for development include the Baxi Potterton site in Wyre Street and 10 hectares of land at Crown Point Road.

In Rossendale, the council are targeting 222 new homes per year for the next 15 years - a total of 3,300.

Of these 30 per cent will be built in the Rawtenstall area, with homes also being targeted for Bacup, Haslingden and Whitworth.

In Pendle, officers say 3,420 houses are needed in the next 15 years.

Hyndburn Borough Council has identified the need for 3,400 new houses in the years leading up to 2025.

Key sites include land to the north of the railway line in Huncoat, formerly the Huncoat colliery.

And officers at Ribble Valley Borough Council have identified the need to create 1,500 homes in 15 years, providing 805 new homes in the first five years.

They have created three options, firstly that Clitheroe and Whalley carry the highest proportion of future development, with 675 homes in Ciltheroe, 450 in Whalley, 75 in Longridge and 300 in other villages.

Option two would see the highest proportion of development in Longridge with 450 homes and in option three rural villages would be developed.

Tony Duckworth, of The Campaign to Protect Rural England, said: “It is quite appalling to hear these plans when it’s not entirely clear we need this haphazard spreading of urban sprawl.

“New homes to this extent would put pressure on the existing infrastructure and it doesn’t improve the quality of life for existing residents.

“Our hills and green spaces are what makes this area attractive.”

Howard Baker, of Falcon and Foxglove Estate Agents, said: “Building new houses is not the answer.

“For example, in Burnley there’s usually 600 houses for sale, but this year there were 1,600.

“You’ve got all that and then there’s 3,000 homes empty as well.

“Also, the banks won’t lend to anyone and the jobs aren’t here.

"Until the jobs come, there will be no movement in the housing market. It’s very frustrating.”

Blackburn estate agent James Whitehead said that people “don’t want new homes”.

He said: “People don’t tend to want new homes. They want to stay in places they are comfortable with, near schools, extended families and mosques, and not in new developments in the middle of a field with no infrastructure.”

Where the 23,000 proposed new houses will be built

Blackburn - 4,800 homes: Sites for potential development include land west of Haslingden Road at Guide, and land adjacent to Fishmoor Reservoir as well as industrial brownfield land.

Burnley - 1,950 homes: Burnley Council said its plans for new homes was under review, following the scrappage of the Regional Spacial Strategy earlier in the year. The biggest sites for devlopment being considered include the Baxi Potterton site in Wyre Street and 10 hectares of land at Crown Point Road.

Darwen - 4,700 homes: Potential land for development include fields off Pole Lane, green space between Cranberry Lane and Roman Road, land around Jack Keys Farm and Jack Keys Estate, fields around Clearwater Village, and Ellison Fold, which contains mine shafts. Pockets of land currently used as industrial estates could also be used.

Hyndburn - 3,400 homes: The majority of new housing would be on previously developed land in built up areas. A key area is north of the railway line in Huncoat, formerly the Huncoat colliery. Other sites include fields south of Stanhill Road, Knuzden and Greenbelt land in Great Harwood bounded by Tan House Lane, Hindle Fold Lane and Cliffe Lane and fields of Burnley Road near Altham.

Pendle - 3,420 homes: A total of 819 dwellings could be provided on vacant not previously developed sites. Key locations being considered for building include grazing land at Wood Clough Platts and land off Clitheroe Road, Brierfield, greenfield land below allotments at the end of Southfield Street, Nelson, and a grassed area to the rear of Knotts Drive, Colne.

Ribble Valley - 1,500 homes: Three options are being considered. Sites under consideration for development include playing field adjacent to Clitheroe Hospital, greenfield land to the rear of 53 Chapel Hill, Longridge, and fields alongside the A59 off Longsight Road at Langho.

Rossendale - 3,330 homes: Around 30 per cent will be built in the Rawtenstall area, with 48 per cent, in total, from the towns of Bacup, Haslingden and Whitworth. Key sites under consideration include a disused quarry in Goodhsaw Lane, Rawtenstall, greenfield land off Greensnook Lane, Bacup, land near Cherry Tree Lane in Rawtenstall and an area near Hardman Avenue, Rawtenstall.