PROPOSALS for a £3million eco-housing estate for military veterans and the homeless have been approved by councillors at the second attempt.

In January Hyndburn Council’s planning committee deferred discussion of an application from Buildings for Humanity for a site on Charter Street in Accrington just 45 minutes before the meeting.

Officers had recommended refusal because insufficient information has been provided on the 36 flats and 10 houses’ impact on biodiversity and ecology and an unacceptable loss of trees.

Shortly before the meeting was due to start the applicants provided further information and the committee voted to defer consideration.

But at Wednesday's meeting the scheme was approved unanimously.

The project aims to deliver sustainable and low energy-performance homes for military veterans and homeless people from East Lancashire.

It seeks to build a 100 per cent affordable, ‘zero carbon’ housing scheme of 46 properties including a community training hub, communal growing spaces, private and communal gardens.

The land had provisionally been given to Buildings for Humanity by the Hyndburn Council’s cabinet in September 2019.

Planning Committee chairman Cllr Eamonn Higgins said: "This is a fantastic scheme and we're really pleased Buildings for Humanity chose Hyndburn for it.

"I am pleased that the glitches that led to its consideration being deferred before have been ironed out and we could pass it unanimously."