Published Thursday 6 January 2022 at 9:49
Plans for how thousands of new homes and jobs will be created in Blackburn and Darwen over the next 15 years and beyond have been refined and progressed as part of the next stage in production of the Borough’s new Local Plan.
This follows a high profile consultation in early 2021.
A further six-week consultation period to provide final feedback on the Local Plan will start on Friday, February 4th 2022 subject to the Council’s Executive Board approval on 13th January. The closing date is scheduled for the 18th March 2022.
Following this final stage of consultation, it is expected the new Plan will be submitted for examination by the Government in the summer of 2022 before adoption in 2023.
The ambitious Plan proposes the creation of around 7,000 new homes and 5,000 net new jobs by 2037 at identified development sites.
The Plan aims to drive the Borough’s Covid-19 recovery by supporting housing and employment growth, and improved social and physical infrastructure such as health facilities, roads and schools, as well as ways to consider climate change in all planning decisions through a new Climate Impacts Framework.
It also responds to climate change with a variety of specific measures including ensuring energy efficient buildings, the location and design of developments, sustainable and active travel, enhanced green infrastructure, identifying land for renewable energy schemes, managing flood risk and minimising and mitigating pollution.
The Plan also includes forecasts of the potential infrastructure schemes needed to support growth of the Borough, such as a new Household Waste Recycling Centre with up-to-date facilities to serve the whole of the Borough, improved road junctions and additional school places.
The document contains 83 detailed policies (32 of which are site-specific) to manage the sustainable development of the borough, protect parks and open spaces, builds on work to protect the borough’s heritage and ensure high quality development and place-making.
The latest population, economic and commuting data has been updated since the 2021 consultation and incorporated into the new Local Plan.
It also enshrines a new robust process to control the number of conversions of properties into houses of multiple occupation (HMOs).
The Council will aim to use the Local Plan to support its recently published Blackburn Town Centre Masterplan and Darwen Town Deal Investment Plan, which are focused on delivering new growth opportunities for all.
The Plan still details six key proposals and ideas:
- Blackburn Growth Axis is an economic framework which links strategic development opportunities of scale across the Borough, including the adjacent Samlesbury Enterprise Zone, through Blackburn town centre and key corridors to the M65 at Junctions 5 and 6 – an area of regional economic significance;
- Darwen Town Investment Plan will deliver an £100m growth programme with a series of wide-ranging improvements;
- North East Blackburn Strategic Housing Site – a new 1,500-home neighbourhood on the edge of the town;
- South East Blackburn Strategic Employment Site to attract jobs and investment at a key motorway location;
- Blackburn Town Centre Major Development Site – a unique opportunity to boost the vitality of Blackburn town centre; and
- Infrastructure Delivery Plan – an important series of interventions to improve infrastructure for all, such as roads, schools, household waste centre and health facilities.
Details on how to comment will be available at www.blackburn.gov.uk/localplan during the consultation timeframe.
Councillor Phil Riley, Executive Member for Growth and Development, said: “The Local Plan gives us a strong foundation on which to deliver our vision of improved communities, dealing with climate change and giving everyone an equal footing in life.
“It determines how we will make Blackburn with Darwen a healthier and more prosperous Borough that meet the needs of a changing and growing population.
“The Plan, based on evidence and feedback, reflects the type of homes and jobs we need as a borough to improve community wellbeing, what type of high streets we shop in and how we maximise the benefits from our parks and green spaces.”
Martin Kelly, the Council’s Strategic Director for Place, said: “At this stage of the process, we have assessed a number of different scenarios on the possible levels of growth in Blackburn with Darwen over the next 15 years, and the need for houses to be built and jobs to be created to accommodate this growth.
“It is important that people understand the consequences of the options, as most growth scenarios will have pros and cons with regard to important issues such as land for employment opportunities, the impact on the environment, addressing housing need, supporting the delivery of community and transport infrastructure, and how many truly affordable homes that could be provided.”
Helen Holland, the Council’s Head of Growth & Development, said:
“An important part of our work will be talking to landowners, developers and partner organisations to make sure they understand the new policy requirements in the Local Plan, and deliver positive outcomes on the ground for our Borough’s communities.
“It is a fundamental part of our work to improve the quality and type of new developments, to rebalance the relationship between cars, pedestrians and bikes on our road network, meet our net zero carbon commitment and embed social value in every decision we make.”
To get up-to-date information on the Local Plan please visit www.blackburn.gov.uk/localplan