PLANS for 17 new homes on the site of a former day care centre have been approved.

Blackburn-based firm Hearle Homes lodged an application with Blackburn with Darwen Council last year and now the proposal has been passed

A provisional deal to sell the land – which was home to the former Tower View Day Centre as well as allotments and garages, was agreed in June.

Council bosses said they had to sell the land to help meet the government’s housing requirement targets approved in the local plan.

The estate will be made up of 12 three-bedroom semi-detached houses and five detached houses of four or more bedrooms.

Hearle Homes will now have to pay the council £20,000 towards off-site green infrastructure, with the money earmarked to be used to improve sports facilities at Square Meadow.

Cllr Jane Oates said: “This is a really good scheme – it complements the properties already there.

“I am pleased to see this development come forward and I am pleased we are going to see section 106 money from the developer.”

Cllr Roy Davies said he was happy with the development but added he thought the section 106 money could have been spread around more.

In a report detailing the sale of the site earlier this year, borough regeneration boss Cllr Phil Riley said: “The council’s local plan sets a housing requirement to meet over the 15 year plan period. Development will contribute to meeting this target and assist in improving the quality of the borough’s housing offer.”