Final plan for 2,000 village homes to be revealed late
JONATHAN GRIEVE
AFINAL masterplan to set out the blueprint for up to 2,000 new homes will now be published in June - a year later than originally intended.
Cabinet members in Hyndburn approved a further £49,000 on consultancy fees for additional masterplan and delivery strategy costs to enable the work on the Huncoat scheme to be concluded.
Initial stages of the masterplan have been completed and a number of development principles for the proposed garden village have been identified.
It has been determined there will be no major employment provision and a residential-only scheme of up to 2,000 new homes.
There will be safeguarding for former power station railway sidings for future employment/rail freight use.
Subject to further testing and viability, there will be a new local distribution road linking Altham Lane with the A56.
It is also proposed to increase junior school provision either on the existing site or at a new location, which will be determined by further feasibility and viability work in conjunction with Lancashire County Council.
The scheme will also help establish a local “village centre” comprising of facilities near to the Lowergate Road/Station Road/Altham Lane junction, as well as car parking provision adjacent to the station.
The former colliery and power station were earmarked as potential sites in the early stages of the plan.
Ward councillor Dave Parkins said: “There are lots of people concerned about this in Huncoat. As ward member, I’m concerned about the school. At the end of the day, we don’t know what the full impact will be because we don’t know how many houses are going to go on the site.
“If you are talking about 2,000 homes, we would need a new distributor road but if it’s only 1,500 homes, we might not get one.”
Council leader Coun Miles Parkinson said: “The masterplan is critical for Huncoat to make sure the village gets what it needs.
“The worst thing that could happen would be to give planning permission with no masterplan setting out what is required in terms of infrastructure.
“Previous local plans have seen quite large housing estates built without any masterplan and this one is there to deliver more for the residents of Huncoat.”