Hyndburn mayor June Harrison has broken ground on a new £7.4 million house building project in Oswaldtwistle, which aims to build 53 new homes.

Councillor Harrison was joined by the authority’s Housing and Regeneration Panel chair Councillor Loraine Cox and borough Mayoress Councillor Joyce Plummer at the 1.3 hectare former John Wood Steel Drums site on Victoria Street on which housing association Great Places along with Wigan based construction company MCI Developments have planned the development.

The moves comes as part of the associations' plans for extensive redevelopments across the north of England.

Councillor Harrison said: “There is a pressing need for new, high-quality affordable housing in Hyndburn and this development will go some way towards meeting future housing needs in the borough.

“I’m really passionate about improving the housing offer in Hyndburn and therefore I’m looking forward to the first residents moving into the new homes next spring”.

The new homes will be a mixture of two, three and four bedroom houses, with the council describing the rent as “affordable”.

The council claims that the housing is sorely needed and will improve a sight that they describe as having fallen into “significant disrepair”.

Councillor Cox said: “The Council’s policy is to prioritise brownfield sites for development where viable.

"We are delighted our partners Great Places Housing Group along with MCI Developments have chosen this derelict, former mill site close to the centre of Oswaldtwsitle for some much needed, new affordable housing”.

Great Places Director of Development Helen Spencer said: “The site will not only bring new housing, but given its location close to the town centre, it will provide a boost to the local economy.”

The development is due to be completed by Spring 2021.