A long-abandoned factory site could be transformed into affordable housing under new council plans.
Blackburn with Darwen Council is preparing to buy the Scotland Bank Mill site, formerly home to the Kickers factory, which has stood derelict for years and become a focus for fly-tipping, anti-social behaviour and other nuisances.
Councillor Quesir Mahmood, the council’s deputy leader and executive member for growth and development, said: "For years, this abandoned piece of land has been a blight on the community living in and around Scotland Bank Terrace.
"We’ve worked hard to find a solution for the residents living close by as we know just how frustrated they’ve been by the lack of action and the anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping – not something we want for our communities.
"Along with the land owners, we’ve now exhausted every possible option for the site and so we’re stepping in to buy it.
"By working with Together Housing, this empty and derelict site will be transformed with quality, new, affordable homes – something that residents in our borough tell us is incredibly important to them."
The council will use Section 106 funding secured through new housing developments across the borough to acquire the land.
The current owner, a national company, has deemed the site financially unviable for private development due to rising construction costs and site challenges.
Plans for the purchase will be detailed in a report to the council’s executive board next week.
The council intends to partner with Together Housing to deliver the scheme.
Together Housing already owns properties on Scotland Bank Terrace and the surrounding area off Heys Lane.
The site has been identified as suitable for two and three-bedroom homes.
Cllr Mahmood said: "We’ve seen elsewhere how developments like this genuinely change lives and we’re looking forward to being able to progress this scheme – improving the whole area for the people living there."
The scheme is part of a broader effort by Blackburn with Darwen Council to increase affordable housing across the borough.
In Griffin, the final phase of a £20 million regeneration programme is now underway, focusing on affordable homes.
At the Water’s Edge development off Haslingden Road, construction is nearing completion.
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Key workers, including staff from Royal Blackburn Hospital, are being prioritised for those homes.
The council has also worked with Together Housing on projects.
These include fully accessible bungalows on Borrowdale Avenue and new properties at the Holden Fold development in Darwen.
Cllr Mahmood said: "As a council, we are renowned for our partnership working, and the success of these developments – especially developments on difficult sites – is a real testament to that.
"We work incredibly hard to ensure we offer our residents the best possible chances in life – part of our mission to ensure that no one is left behind – and when we visit these new developments, we are fortunate to see the hugely positive impact they have.
"Yes, this is about creating new homes, but it’s also about building strong communities – something we are all passionate about."
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