£23m affordable housing scheme unveiled in Blackburn (From Lancashire Telegraph)

£23m affordable housing scheme unveiled in Blackburn

7:10pm Tuesday 21st June 2011 in Blackburn Exclusive By Chris Hopper, Reporter

A NEW £23million affordable housing development in Blackburn has been unveiled.

Lock 54, in the Infirmary Waterside area of Blackburn, is a partnership between housing association Places for People and Blackburn with Darwen Council.

The development, in the area around the former Warwick and Bailey factory, is one of the final projects completed under housing market renewal (HMR), the multi-million pound scheme axed by the coalition government last year.

Lock 54 has been built in four phases with the first three, comprising 131 one- to four-bedroom homes, now ready and fully occupied.

Another 28 properties are being built as part of phase four and should be completed by the autumn.

Among the 131 homes in phases one to three, 63 were available to own, including 18 that allowed initial rental followed by purchase, five bought with 30 per cent loans and 40 under a shared ownership arrangement.

Of the remaining 68, 41 were rented socially through Places for People and 27 were made available at market rental rates.

The scheme is another example of how East Lancashire’s councils and private developers have tried to provide better low-cost housing in recent years.

In Burnley, Keepmoat is building about 100 homes in Burnley Wood and off Cog Lane in a partnership with council chiefs.

The Doncaster-based housebuilder is also behind an HMR scheme of 60 properties off Blackburn Road, Accrington, which is backed by Hyndburn Council.

Meanwhile, the Duchy of Lancaster, the Queen’s property portfolio group, is building 12 affordable terraced houses in Dunsop Bridge, one of East Lancashire’s most expensive villages.

Blackburn with Darwen Council housing boss Tony Humphrys said: “The Lock 54 development has transformed the Infirmary area, making it a much sought-after place to live.

“The development brings much-needed high-quality family housing for local people who want to remain in the Infirmary area as well as for new residents moving in.”

Pat Egan, Places for People’s managing director for homes, added: “With our partners the Infirmary Waterside area has been transformed into a place where people now want to live.

“It has attracted many new people into the area, helping to revitalise it and has brought back some who used to live here years ago - a clear sign that the areas fortunes are changing for the better.”

The development also included a new ‘green trail’ nearby on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and the refurbishment of the Ivy Street community centre.

Christine Connell, who works at the community centre and lives at Lock 54, said: “I’ve lived in the Infirmary area for 37 years and moved into my new home at Lock 54 after the completion of phase one.

“The area has been transformed and it’s great that people now want to live here after a difficult few years and rebuild our community.”

Places for People designed the scheme to appeal to a wide variety of people, including those on low incomes and pensioners.

The 28 homes in phase four will also be available under a range of ownership and rental options.

Lock 54 was funded jointly, with £11.2million from HMR and £11.6million put up by Places for People.