PLANS for more than 160 new homes in Darwen were passed despite concerns about uncapped mine shafts and struggling infrastructure.

Conservative group members on Blackburn with Darwen Council said schools, doctors' surgeries and the road network in Darwen are bursting at the seams.

They said Persimmon Homes’ proposals for 168 new houses on land at Spring Meadows were unsustainable until these issues were resolved.

But their Labour counterparts said the Government had imposed strict house building targets and they were left with no alternative other than to grant permission for the proposal, at a planning and highways committee meeting in Blackburn Town Hall.

Ward councillors Kevin Connor and Neil Slater said they still had misgivings about the scheme and were disappointed to see it passed.

Cllr Slater said: “We still have serious concerns about the coal mines and the pollution caused by extra traffic. Pole Lane is going to be horrendous. None of the issues we raised have been addressed.”

Cllr Connor added: “Speeding on Pole Lane is also a big problem and we have been on about this for years.

“With all the development in this area, there’s no end in sight for the people who have lived there for a long time.”

Executive member for growth and development, Cllr Phil Riley, said: “I took it upon myself to find out how sales were going at the two other sites in the area and they are both performing above expectations - mainly being sold to Darreners with the odd person moving in from outside the borough.

“The churn in the housing market enables people to get on the property ladder and it’s the kind of thing we are encouraged to do by the government. It’s organic growth and it’s another vote of confidence in housing in Darwen.”

Borough development manager Gavin Prescott addressed the concern about uncapped coal mines, which had delayed permission for the scheme.

He said: “There have been extensive discussions with the Coal Authority and they have removed their objections - something which they do not do lightly.

“It’s up to us as a planning authority, as well as the Coal Authority. It’s a two-pronged attack to ensure the mine safety issues are resolved.”

Committee chairman Cllr Dave Smith added: “If we were really concerned about mine safety in Darwen there would be no houses at all built in the east of the town.

“We know there are mine shafts there and we have to overcome it but if it was not safe, the builders wouldn’t build and people wouldn’t buy houses there.”