A MAJOR apartment and retail scheme in Blackburn town centre is finally set to be completed - eight years after plans were first announced.

Manchester-based Dwell Developments snapped up the Cathedral Court complex around Fleming Square and Mincing Lane, in November 2010 from administrators.

Already 11 completed apartments are being rented out in the ‘tower’ building, and there is said to be a 'very long waiting list' of people interested in taking 13 new apartments when they become available.

Sheldon Cohen, marketing manager for Dwell Developments, said: “The money is in place and it’s just a case of getting it finished.

“We’re hopeful that by the end of the summer we will be able to get all the hoardings down, and it will be very helpful for the town centre. We see a very bright future for Blackburn.”

He added: “Underneath the rented apartments in phase one we’re talking to a pizza operator about leasing the site, but it’s early days.

“Phases three and four are nearly completed, and there’s a very long waiting list for people wanting to rent the apartments in those.

“The original intention was to sell the apartments, so they have been finished to a very nice standard - better than you might expect for rented accommodation.”

The scheme was the brainchild of Blackburn businesswoman Margo Grimshaw but the scheme went into administration in 2008.

Tom Hinchliffe, 24, a car salesman, has lived in a penthouse apartment for five weeks.

He said: “The apartment is amazing. I used to live in a flat on the Docks in Preston, and this is so much better.

“It’s absolutely huge and there’s three massive windows so you can see all over Blackburn. It’s not what people think of Blackburn either - especially at night it’s gorgeous.

“It’s kitted out to a really high specification too and the kitchen especially is amazing.”

To rent a two-bedroom apartment it would be £600 per month, and £450 for a one-bed apartment.

Mr Cohen said that he wanted to see ‘boutique-style’ shops in space below apartments in phases three and four, and there will be low rent packages available.

Dwell Developments are also in talks with an unnamed low-budget hotel chain about space for 60 rooms above an underground car park built behind Fleming Square.