A HIGH-QUALITY scheme for a new 145-house ‘village’ complete with country green and cafe south of Blackburn has been unveiled.

It is the first evidence of major developers signing up to the council’s dream of building 4,000 rural-style executive homes by 2030.

The ambitious plan for the new ‘Livesey Green’, off Gib Lane, has been submitted to Blackburn with Darwen planners.

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It is the initial stage of siting 500 homes at the farmland site, with future plans including a new primary school.

The scheme, by Rule Five Land Ltd, would retain the historic Witton Weavers Way and Cockridge Wood within the development. The company hopes to see the first new residents moving in by 2016.

Although the site is not protected countryside, its is expected to be the first of several approaches to build luxury homes on nearly 1,200 acres, some ‘green belt’ land, in and around the borough.

Spread across 25 acres, the initial ‘Livesey Green’ village’ includes an initial 75 three-bedroom, 50 four-bedroom and 20 five-bedroom properties. The proposed school, not part of the current application, would look out onto the village green.

Stuart Booth from planning agent JWPC said: “The site lies in a well-functioning area of the local housing market, and represents one of the principal areas outside of the existing built-up parts of Blackburn that could accommodate high-quality housing development to support and improve the housing offer across the borough.

“Recent investments and developments in Blackburn, including at the Mall and the Cathedral Quarter, together with the council’s visions set out in their new plans for housing and the economy, give us confidence that the town is heading in the right direction and we are excited for the future to deliver a high quality development of new houses in the town.”

Rule Five are working with other developers to secure five further phases extending the development to Horden Lane and Broken Stones Road. Other sites identified for possible housing include land near Blackburn Rugby Club, Preston New Road near Scarr Lane, Parsonage Road at Wilpshire and Bailey’s Field, Kirkham’s Farm, Pole Lane and the Jack’s Key reservoir, all in Darwen. Councillors will make a decision on the site in the coming weeks.