A DARWEN eyesore is finally set to be demolished to make way for a £5.2m development.

Together Housing Association, which owns Twin Valley Homes, will begin taking down the former Elizabeth House site in Sudellside Street in June.

Residents have called for the work to start since the plan was first announced in 2012 and the site has since been a major target for fly-tippers.

A 46-home development including older people’s bungalows and three-bedroom family homes will replace the building and will be made available for affordable rent.

Councillor Jane Oates, who represents the area on Blackburn with Darwen Council, said the work beginning would bring great relief to residents and hopefully put an end to some "awful" fly-tipping.

She said: “I’m so glad that at last the fly-tipping will now hopefully stop on the site now that work is set to begin.

“You should see some of the stuff that has got left there it’s awful, it’s become an eyesore and I think the residents will be pleased that something nicer will be going in its place.

“There are some nice plans that Twin Valley have in mind for the development and I know a lot of residents will feel relieved as they have been asking me for some time about what is going on.

“It’s good they have decided to invest in it and I think it will look great when it is finished.”

The demolition should last four to six weeks and the development is set to be finished in August next year. The affordable housing will match that on the rest of the Ellenshaw estate, knocked down several years ago.

Together Housing Association’s construction partners Bardsley Construction Ltd will also create four new apprenticeships as part of the contract and local labour will be used.

Project manager Renea Cammish said the development is much needed in Darwen and is glad that work is now ready to begin.

She said: “We’ve worked hard to get to the point where we are able to start on site to provide another great development in Darwen.

“Building on the fantastic work we’ve done in Orchard Grove and Willow Gardens, Ellenshaw will provide more much-needed specialist accommodation, which will help meet the borough’s housing objective.

“This site has been a target for fly-tippers but the site is clear and is now ready to be developed.”