Work has started at Keepmoat’s latest North West development that will offer 205 new homes for local people in Blackburn. The housebuilder is investing more than £31 million into the creation of new, energy-efficient homes at Water’s Edge that will feature solar panels and heat recovery systems alongside a new play area.

Of the 205 new homes to be built, 57 are being delivered in partnership with Great Places. The development will offer 37 apartments for affordable rent, and twenty homes for shared ownership, to be sold by Plumlife Homes. This will create much-needed new affordable housing stock to help meet demand in the borough.

The scheme has been designed to incorporate Sustainable Urban Drainage (SuDs) ponds within the development to store surface rainwater runoffs, which reduces flood risk and  makes the neighbourhood a richer habitat for birds and bees, plants and people. Water’s Edge is part of the Council’s recently adopted Local Plan, which identified the land opposite the Royal Blackburn Hospital for the development of new homes.

This week, representatives from Keepmoat, Blackburn with Darwen Council, Great Places and East Lancashire Health met to see the progress at the site while discussing the importance of providing affordable homes for first-time buyers.

The development will also include a variety of measures to enhance biodiversity in the area, including creating green infrastructure, tree planting and a wildflower ‘corridor’ linking ecological habitats. There will be new play areas and footpath links with Fishmoor Reservoir creating opportunities for healthier routines through walking, and cycling, and opportunities to spend more time outdoors in the park and in the garden.

Peter Barlow commented: “We’re thrilled to see work start on site at Water’s Edge. The development, sitting close to the town centre and key employment hubs, will complement the area by adding vibrancy to the existing community through the introduction of formal public open space and a network of cycle and footpath links throughout the site.

“The new homes are located on the doorstep to a host of excellent transport links, and are close by to supermarkets and independent stores, alongside leisure facilities such as skating rinks and cinemas.”

Councillor Quesir Mahmood, Deputy Leader at Blackburn with Darwen Council and Executive Member for Growth and Development, added: “We’ve worked incredibly hard with our partners – Keepmoat Homes and Great Places – to bring forward this site to create quality, new family homes, importantly, including affordable options for our key workers.

“This development has also brought forward much-needed highways improvements along the Haslingden Road stretch – a major gateway route into the Borough.

“The surrounding area will also benefit further from £20 million of new Levelling Up funding that the Council has successfully secured for South East Blackburn, including improvements to Junction 5 of the M65 and active travel routes.

“We’ve already seen how developments like this in our Borough have helped positively change the lives for our residents and we look forward to helping do the same at Water’s Edge.”

Helen Spencer, Executive Director of Growth at Great Places, added: “We are excited to be part of this development working with Keepmoat to deliver 57 much-needed affordable homes in Blackburn. A number of these affordable homes will initially be advertised to employees of the local health trusts, this is a great opportunity given the proximity of the new homes to the hospital.

‘’We will also be delivering a number of three-bedroom homes for Shared Ownership to support people taking their first step to owning their own home.’’