Elan Homes to acquire Darwen site

Elan Homes has been named as the preferred developer to deliver new homes in Lower Darwen.

The homebuilder is set to acquire 8.64 acres of land at Milking Lane from Barnfield Blackburn, a joint venture between Blackburn with Darwen Council and Brierfield-based Barnfield Construction.

The site, which is set across two parcels of land running alongside the Davy Field Brook is divided by the new spine road, Millbank Road.

Paul Halliwell, regional managing director for Elan Homes Northern, said: “This will be our first site in the Blackburn area and our third across Lancashire. 

“We have worked hard to reach this point of the process and are looking forward to starting on site with the residential element, alongside our delivery partners.

“The land already benefits from outline planning consent and we are currently working on a reserved matters application for 76 homes with a good mix of properties to enhance the existing housing stock.

“We are preparing our application to be submitted in July. Subject to planning, work on site could start by the end of the year.”

Simon Jones, growth director for Blackburn with Darwen Council, said “We received a number of excellent bids for our land off Milking Lane and were particularly impressed by the quality of Elan’s proposal and very much welcome Paul and his team into the borough.

“In addition, our joint-venture company will shortly be submitting planning applications for three of the commercial plots, which have now secured investment.

The council is delighted with the progress of the joint-venture development which has regenerated a stalled brownfield site and looks forward to formally opening the new Millbank Road in August which is being constructed by Barnfield.”

Along with new homes, the scheme will also see Elan create a biodiverse area of public open space within the development. This will run alongside a sustainable urban drainage system and the River Darwen tributary, Davy Field Brook.

The homes will be accessed via the new spine road linking Milking Lane with Greenbank Terrace, and the M65 junction, which has been constructed by Barnfield Construction on behalf of the partnership.

The site in Lower Darwen will be Cheshire-based Elan’s third development in Lancashire, following on from the recent acquisition of sites in Wrea Green and Marton Moss.