WORK has started to transform an ‘eyesore’ former mill site into housing.

The demolished Oak Mill site in Skipton Road, Colne, has been derelict for several years.

But the site has been given planning permission for 36 new houses and bungalows.

Contractors are currently breaking up old concrete slabs and clearing off rubbish and are due to be there a couple of weeks.

The start of work on the site has been given the thumbs up by councillors.

Liberal Democrat councillor Tony Greaves, deputy leader of Pendle Council who represents the Waterside ward, said: “It’s now about three years since we created the council’s brownfield fund to support developments such as this.

“It has not been easy to get projects off the ground because brownfield land is by its nature full of problems and owners often have inflated ideas of its value.

“I am delighted that all the hard work that has gone into this scheme is now coming to fruition.”

Fellow Liberal Democrat and Waterside ward councillor on Pendle Council Dorothy Lord said: “We have been looking forward to this for a long time and it’s really good news that grounds works have now started.

“As well as providing new housing within the town, it this scheme remove one of the main eyesores on the main roads into Colne.”

Cllr Mohammed Iqbal, Labour leader of Pendle Council also welcomed the development.

He said: “I’m very much looking forward the site being developed and local people moving into the new houses.

“This is a welcome addition to a site that has been empty and an eyesore for a long time and will provide much-needed housing to the area.”

Cllr Joe Cooney, leader of the Pendle Conservatives, said: “This is long overdue development on a site that has been derelict for quite some time.”

The new housing will be built by PEARL, the council’s joint venture development arm with local developers Barnfield, after details of an agreement to buy the land was reached with the previous owners.

The development is also being supported by the council’s own brownfield fund.

Work on the land has revealed culverts that were not known about.

As a result the layout has to be changed slightly, and this is the subject of a recent application to revise the planning permission.