New gateways gearing up to boost business and housing in North Blackburn

A new project investing £2.6m to improve a key gateway to the Borough at Brownhill Roundabout and nearby junctions is getting underway and proposals are ready to view.

The package of improvements is being developed as part of the wider £13m Growth Deal 3 Pennine Gateways project which will deliver key transport improvements at main gateways into Blackburn with Darwen between 2019 and 2021. The project is funded from Central Government’s Local Growth Deal via the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership.

Major transport improvements will act as the catalyst for new housing and commercial development, contributing to the delivery of the Council’s adopted Local Plan targets for new housing, businesses and jobs.

The package of improvements is focussed on the following:

• Brownhill roundabout –this forms a key intersection between the Ribble Valley, Blackburn Town Centre and Blackburn’s major employment zones at Whitebirk, bringing wider connectivity to the M6/M65/M66 motorways. A number of designated housing sites are close to the junction, hence the need to upgrade this and adjacent junctions on the highway network. Work will include intelligent traffic signal equipment, resurfacing and Whalley New Road parking amendments and bus stop formalisation
• Pleckgate Road / Ramsgreave Drive (Knowles Arms) junction improvement, including new traffic signal equipment
• Whalley Old Road / Whitebirk Drive junction capacity upgrade, increases to the northbound “stacking” lane on Whitebirk Drive and new traffic signal equipment

Work at these sites will also include sustainable transport improvements for walking and cycling, highways signage, street lighting, drainage, surfacing, lining and soft and hard landscaping. There will be smart, intelligent signals to reduce congestion and queuing time for users of the highway.

A drop in event will be held at St Gabriel’s Church Hall, Brownhill Drive, Blackburn BB1 9BA, on Wednesday, September 5^th, between 4pm and 7pm.

Detailed engineering plans will be on display, as well as annotated maps, images and materials, and a summary of considered options. Council officers and scheme engineers will be on hand to answer any questions. Anyone is welcome.

Information is also available on the Council’s website at:  https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/Pages/growthdeal.aspx