COUNCILLORS have given the go-ahead for the first buildings on a flagship multi-million pound development.

They granted 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.

It will is a key milestone in redeveloping the 23.5 acre site between Milking Lane and Greenbank Terrace.

Blackburn with Darwen Council planning committee approved the application with nine conditions on Thursday night.

The three units, which all have prospective tenants, will all be built on land near Greenbank Terrace

It's chairman Cllr Dave Smith said:" I welcome this addition to our industrial portfolio."

Cllr Phil Riley, Blackburn with Darwen's regeneration boss said: "This is the result of an inordinate amount of effort. It is a great addition to the new developments in our borough."

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 - had 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, welcomed the approval but asked for restrictions on construction traffic on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Council planning manager Gavin Prescott told him that the conditions regarding the hours of building work already controlled the problem.

Darwen West ward's Cllr Stephanie Brookfield said the new road was 'a blessing in disguise' to residents of the town cutting journeys into Blackburn and in her case shortening her travel time to and from her child's school.