A PLAN to build 205 new homes to complete a council's housing development masterplan have been submitted.

Story Homes is seeking full planning permission for the new estate in land off Gib Lane in Blackburn towards Broken Stone Road.

Blackburn with Darwen Conservative councillors Keith Murray and Colin Rigby have expressed concerns about the latest scheme.

But the council's regeneration boss Cllr Phil Riley has welcomed the plan as further evidence of the dynamism of the borough's housing market.

The new plan follows successful applications for the other two sites in the area.

Blackburn-raised designer Wayne Hemingway is spearheading plans for a 169-home estate named ‘Green Hills Blackburn’ on a separate 25-acre site between Gib Lane and Livesey Branch Road to be built by Kingswood Homes of Preston.

The other development by Wainhomes NW will see 79 new properties on for 12 acres of land to the West of Gib Lane.

The council's 'Gib Lane Masterplan' is a key part of the authority's controversial blueprint to build 4,000 executive homes on greenfield sites in the borough .

The Story Homes proposal includes a mix of three, four and five-bedroom semi-detached and detached homes.

If approved, work on site would start in the summer with the first homes completed by spring next year.

Cllr Riley said: "This is further evidence of the attractiveness of Blackburn to housing developers."

Meadowhead's Cllr Murray, who lives near the site, said: "I am concerned that the increased size of the development and that recent housing proposals approved by the council do not include a contribution to building affordable homes in the borough."

Cllr Rigby, deputy leader of the council Tory Group said: "I am still not convinced that all these new houses being proposes in the borough will be built and sold."

If successfully completed, a government New Homes Bonus of £300,000 a year will be invested in council services.

Story Homes development planner Siobhan Sweeney said: "In our proposal we have paid careful attention to Blackburn’s different forms of development, architecture, appearance and material.”

As part of the development, the existing footpath in Gib Lane will be extended up to Broken Stone Road.

Earlier this month the borough executive board approved another controversial 'masterplan' for 450 more executive homes in North Blackburn.