THE first buildings on a flagship multi-million pound development are backed to get the go-ahead tonight.

Councillors have been recommended to grant planning permission for three job-creating commercial units on the ‘Mill Bank’ project between on the site of the former Lower Darwen Paper Mill near junction 4 of the M65.

If approval is granted it will be a key stage in redeveloping the 23.5 acre site between Milking Lane and Greenbank Terrace.

Blackburn with Darwen Council planning committee has been recommended to approve the application with nine conditions.

The site already has outline planning permission for 100 homes and 9,000 square metres of employment use.

Following the September completion of a vital spine road connecting Milking Lane and Greenbank Terrace, Barnfield Blackburn - a joint venture between Barnfield Developments and Blackburn with Darwen Council - submitted detailed plans for the first three of four light industrial units totalling 4,520 square metres.

A second detailed application for 76 new family houses by Elan Homes is in the planning pipeline.

Blackburn South and Lower Darwen ward Cllr John Slater, leader of the council Conservative group, said: “It is wonderful to see the redevelopment of this site begin. It is bringing much-needed jobs to the borough.”

A report by planning officer Tom Wiggans for the three units, which all have prospective tenants, on land near Greenbank Tetrace says: “Approval of this detailed scheme for the three industrial units will allow positive progress to be made towards the re-development of the whole site.

“The proposal will deliver a high-quality scheme that will assist the council’s strategic aims, including economic growth and the regeneration benefits from bringing this visually prominent site back into use. The proposed units would be appropriate for this location and topography.

“The scale of the buildings would be relative to their use and reflect the speculative nature of the development.

“Each would accommodate a large open warehouse/ production space with small ancillary office and amenities.

“The appearance of all three industrial units would be very similar. They have been designed using high quality contemporary metal faced cladding materials.”

Extensive works have also been carried out to help reduce flooding on Greenbank Terrace.