A FORMER residential unit in Darwen will make way for 46 new affordable homes after planning permission was granted.

Residents at Elizabeth House, in Sudellside Street, were moved to the new town centre Willow Gardens development when it opened two years ago.

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And now the dilapidated premises of the former over-50s accommodation scheme are to be demolished.

The Together Housing Group, which owns Twin Valley Homes, then wants to build the affordable housing on the site to match those on the rest of the former Ellenshaw estate, which was knocked down more than a decade ago with new homes built fronting Kay Street. The 46 homes will be made up at 25 two-bed bungalows and 21 three-bed family homes.

The development also includes landscaping and a new access road from Sudellside Street, opposite Darwen Valley Community Centre.

A new cul-de-sac off Ellerbeck Street, at the bottom of Garnett Street, will also be created.

In documents submitted with the plans, a spokesman for the Together Housing Group said: “Our proposed layout makes the most of the awkward spaces left by the constraints of over-looking distances from existing buildings.

“This proposal makes best use of the site and would not result in over-development.

“Where possible each property features two off-road parking spaces.

“An unadopted parking area is proposed towards the south to compensate for the loss of the existing car park where the new road, accessed from Ellerbeck Road, is located.” to compensate for the additional space requirements “The existing park area has been maintained. and distances respected from the park to ensure noise pollution is minimised.

“Greenspace has been provided on site to allow ecological enhancement in the area and public open space for the community.”

Sudell councillor Eileen Entwistle welcomed the homes plan.

She said: “The new houses will look a lot better and we certainly need them.

“It will be a lot better and affordable housing is needed in Darwen.

“It is sad that Elizabeth House has to come down but it is going to be an improvement.

“The housing that people have been moved into is much better than that which they left.”