WORK on a new housing estate on the site of an ‘eyesore’ former mill is going well ­— with the first occupants expected to move in later this year.

The £3.5million Langroyd Place development in Skipton Road, Colne, will have 32 two and three-bedroom family homes and bungalows.

Three properties have already been sold, with the first residents expected to move in at the end of October or early in November.

The ‘show home’ is expected to open at the end of next month after the completion of all the frontages on Skipton Road.

The development regenerates the site once occupied by the derelict Oak Mill, demolished in 2013, after it became unsafe and unsightly with broken windows, piles of bricks and overgrown weeds.

Protective hoardings have been removed recently from Skipton Road as work on the site proceeds to the next stage.

The progress on the development, by PEARL, a joint venture company of Pendle Council and Barnfield Construction, has been welcomed by borough Conservative MP Andrew Stephenson, council leader Cllr Mohammed Iqbal and Lord Tony Greaves, Liberal Democrat councillor for Waterside ward in Colne.

Cllr Iqbal said: “I am pleased that the regeneration of this eyesore site is going so well.

“The previous Labour/Liberal Democrat administration of Pendle Council took action on this three years ago.

“It is great news that the first residents will be moving into this development later this year marking the regeneration of what was a blot on the landscape of Colne.”

Mr Stephenson - who had visited to site with Horsfield’s Conservative Councillors Neil Butterworth, Steve Petty and Johnny Nixon, said: “It’s really encouraging to see how quickly this development has transformed the look of Skipton Road, in a really positive way.

“It is a perfect location for housing, regenerating a former industrial site providing new homes close to the town centre shops, restaurants, bars and theatres. It will be a great place to live.”

Lord Greaves said: “It’s been a long hard struggle which has only been possible because of Pendle Council going into the PEARL partnership.

“It is brilliant news that the development is happening at last. It will all be worth it.”

Cllr Butterworth said “The site has been an eyesore for years at a key gateway in and out of Colne. It was bringing down an otherwise very attractive neighbourhood and local councillors have worked hard to find a way to improve this site. The current development is a big improvement – it’s an eyesore no more.”