ALMOST 80 homes could be built in Padiham if plans are approved.

Renaissance (Padiham) Ltd has submitted complex proposals to create 39 houses at the junction of Station Road and Green Lane – with the possibility of adding another 38 in the near future.

The scheme would bring the total number of homes on land between Padiham Leisure Centre and Padiham Green CE Primary School to 120.

The same firm has already started building a separate 43-home development on land bordering the new application site.

Plans for a care home for the elderly and other businesses on the 2.2 hectare plot were shelved after Renaissance decided they were ‘not viable’.

A design and access statement on behalf of the company said: “An economic viability assessment has been carried by Trevor Dawson and Company.

“The conclusion is that this revised application based on a full residential scheme is viable, whereas the existing consented scheme based on a mixed scheme that included business units was not.

“It recommends a full residential scheme is the only way forward to bring this site into full use.”

The homes would be bordered to the north by the former Rosegrove to Padiham railway line, which now forms part of a linear park between Burnley and Great Harwood.

The 39 homes for which full planning permission is sought would be a mixture of one, two, three and four-bedroom houses and maisonettes.

The statement added: “The focus of the site is north over Memorial Park towards the town centre. At present the site is a barrier between the existing residential area to the south, and the Memorial Park and town centre to the north.

“It could be developed to give clearer definition to this important edge of the southern residential area to form a more positive edge to the linear park.”