Funding for Garden Village masterplan
JON MACPHERSON
AMASTERPLAN is being drawn up to create a 2,000home ‘Garden Village’ after funding was approved by the government.
The new ‘housing zone’ has been earmarked for the former colliery and power station sites in Huncoat after the government granted special status to the village.
The Observer reported last year how the scheme could trigger tens of millions of pounds worth of new development. Hyndburn council and property developers would also be given priority access to £18m in funding and it could lead to the creation of new schools, doctors surgeries, public open spaces and transport infrastructure upgrades.
Council leader Miles Parkinson said a £374,000 government funding application to draw up the detailed masterplan has been granted and it will be prepared this year.
He said: “The council has been successful in gaining grant money to develop that Garden Village ‘all-in-one aspect’ which will stop piecemeal development and encourage the right infrastructure and public that area.
“It’s a major, major piece of work to be done. It’s not going to be a short term plan. To develop such a large-scale site will take more than a decade.
“It’s up to 2,000 homes and by doing that it also facilities for protects green belt within the borough.”
Coun Parkinson said the masterplan will also highlight the need to improve Huncoat rail station’s status to accommodate extra commuters.
He said: “One of the crucial parts we’ve high- lighted as an administration is Huncoat train station. We wish to improve connectivity by rail and opening up the Skipton-Colne line.
“That corridor is critical and that train station would be important for the future development of that garden village.”
Housing zones are part of a £3 billion national government drive to ‘turbocharge house building’ on large brownfield sites. The scheme in Huncoat, part of a wider Pennine-Lancashire Housing Zone, is one of six new zone developments planned across the country.
Hyndburn council said Huncoat village and the surrounding area contains ‘strategic housing and employment land’ which will provide a ‘major opportunity for meeting the borough’s future housing needs and economic growth.
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