Plans for 1,800 homes on colliery site move closer

The development will be built at the former power station and colliery sites at Huncoat

The next steps towards making one of Lancashire's biggest housing schemes made up of 1,816 new homes a reality will be taken later.

Hyndburn Council's cabinet are set to authorise the start of acquiring the land and property needed to enable construction of the proposed residential relief road at Huncoat Garden Village.

Building a new £6.8m highway is a key first stage in the construction of the £460m project to bring the new homes to the area.

It will develop the former power station and colliery sites at Huncoat creating an extension to the existing Huncoat village for the new housing which includes 363 new affordable and social properties.

The overall masterplan envisages 60 acres (24 hectares) of accessible open space

Hyndburn Council's deputy leader and housing and regeneration boss councillor Melissa Fisher will deliver an update to her senior colleagues at the meeting, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

She will ask the cabinet to seek approval for the acquisition of land and property to enable construction of the proposed residential relief road and to obtain consent to start the process towards a Compulsory Purchase Order should the council fail to acquire the required land and property by agreement.

Ms Fisher will also ask for delegated authority to deliver the Huncoat Garden Village project following the council entering a grant funding agreement with Homes England for £29,897,722.

In a report she said "good progress continues to be made" on the project including the selection of a preferred contractor to construct the road and outline planning being submitted for the site.

The overall masterplan envisages the creation over 15 years of a new village centre, an expanded primary school, additional railway station parking, 60 acres (24 hectares) of accessible open space, new woodland and new sports facilities.