A DEVELOPER is proposing to construct six industrial units off a highway leading out of Blackburn town centre.

The buildings will be off the £7million Wainwright Way, opened in February 2016.

It linked Blackburn’s £12m Wainwright Bridge to the town centre opening up land for commercial development.

Wainwright Estates NW Limited, who bought a plot of land of the council, have now submitted a planning application for six industrial units on 0.8 acres.

The developer has already received strong interest for the ‘speculative’ units.

Cllr Phil Riley, Blackburn with Darwen Council regeneration boss, said: “There is a shortage of industrial units so this is a good thing.

“Wainwright Way is doing exactly what it was intended to do, opening up land that was under-utilised for job-creating development.”

His Conservative group counterpart Cllr Paul Marrow said: “This is good news for the borough. There is a shortage of industrial units and people seem to be snapping them up.”

Documents submitted with the application said: “The development comprises six units, with one five unit block each providing 150 square metres and one standalone unit providing 182 sq m.

“There are associated parking facilities of 18 parking spaces plus seven disabled spaces.

“The site is part of the Wainwright Way Development Zone which is located to the South-West of Blackburn town centre on the Preston Old Road Gateway.

“It is designated as ‘employment land.

“To the North-East of the site is the King Street Conservation Area .

“To the South-West of the site across Wainwright Way is the recently constructed Home Bargains.

“The site previously housed a number of businesses including a builders merchants and a café. The buildings were demolished circa 2010 / 2011. The site has remained vacant since."