THE creation of four job-creating light industrial units as part of a major redevelopment of a former paper mill site has been approved by councillors.

The scheme would see them built to the south of a 450-home housing estate in Feniscowles, Blackburn, currently under construction

The application for the new units at the site of the former Sappi Paper Mill in Livesey Branch Road will complete a mixed use development known as Watermills.

The development on 66 acres of land will offer 16,000 square feet of space.

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s planning committee approved the scheme on Thursday night.

Its chairman Cllr Dave Smith said: "This is a good thing."

Conservative regeneration spokesman and Livesey with Pleasington ward's Cllr Paul Marrow said: "This will be welcomed by local residents.

"People have been wanting to know what is going there for 20 years.

"It is a good development which will create jobs. It is the best option."

Cllr Phil Riley, Blackburn with Darwen Council's regeneration boss, said: "Cllr Marrow is absolutely right. It is good this scheme is coming to fruition. A lot of work has gone into it."

A report by planning officer Martin Kenny’s said: “The application will deliver a high quality employment scheme whilst also bringing a brownfield industrial site back in to use."