Go-ahead for major housing project in Leyland

Independent town planning practice Steven Abbott Associates has secured permission from South Ribble council, subject to agreeing conditions, on behalf of Ainscough Properties and Ainscough-Johnston, for a 471-unit residential development in Leyland.

The 32-acre former bus factory will see a mix of two-, three- and four-storey dwellings, primarily houses, 94 of which will be 'affordable homes'. The development is subject to a planning agreement, which involves contributions towards the regeneration of Leyland, including public open space, and improvements to a local traffic-calming scheme.

Other advisors on the Ainscough scheme included Bailey Deakin & Hamiltons, Taylor Young, Royal Haskoning, Denis Wilson Partnership, DLA Piper, Atkinson-Hodgson and WSP.

Steven Abbott said: "The securing of the permission on this site follows many years of hard work and cooperation with the local planning authority. The development is part of a much wider regeneration initiative taken by the Ainscough Group, which in addition to retail and residential elements has witnessed the creation of a new business park from a further obsolete factory site nearby."

SAA previously secured planning permission for a Morrisons store and other retail on the adjoining site.

Roger Lomas, associate director at Taylor Young who worked with SAA on the project added: "The objective of the proposals was to create homes not houses, places not spaces and a community rather than an estate."

The development will feature elements of 'garden suburb' design, linking to Leyland's historic associations with that era.