Blackburn to snap up old mill for affordable housing

The former Beehive Mill buildings are set to be demolished, now that the local authority has voted to purchase the site from owner Oriental Developments.

Blackburn with Darwen Council’s executive board voted last week to acquire the one-acre site, with a goal of constructing specialist affordable housing for those who are disabled or who are elderly.

The mill buildings, which sit off Moor Lane in Darwen, are currently occupied by a small furniture business, which will relocate.

The site sits adjacent to Countryside Partnerships’ future 477-home Holden Ford estate. Countryside secured planning permission for that project in November.

After taking ownership of the Beehive Mill site, Blackburn with Darwen Council will sell a tenth of it to Countryside to enable the delivery of two homes in the Holden Ford project. The remaining plot will be leased to the housebuilder for four years to use as a construction compound.

Before the lease is up, Countryside has agreed to demolish the Beehive Mill buildings and get the site ready for development.

The council did not disclose a price for the land deal with Oriental Developments. However, a report did say that the acquisition was to be funded through the Section 106 affordable homes budget.