Blackburn based house builder Beck Homes and one of the North West’s largest social housing organisations, Contour Homes, have submitted two related planning applications which, if approved, could achieve a £1.7M Central Government grant towards a substantial residential development investment in the Ribble Valley.
The planning applications form the initial phase of a scheme for the major redevelopment of a former mill complex on the outskirts of Clitheroe, to be named Primrose Village. It has been short listed for Kickstart funding which is operated by the Government’s Homes and Communities Agency to ensure that major construction projects which will boost local economies are supported and started on time.
Kickstart funding requires compliance with stringent criteria including offering apprenticeships to young people, using locally sourced materials and a commitment to work closely with schools, training providers and job centres in and around Clitheroe.
Beck Homes Director, Dave Thomas explains, “We are totally committed to developing in and around Clitheroe and await the decision on our planning applications with Contour Homes with great anticipation.
If approved, our two applications will provide 50 properties in total including 25 social housing dwellings for Contour Homes with access via their existing housing scheme off George Street and a further 6 discounted market homes and 19 market led homes on an adjacent site, giving a strong mix of accommodation for the local population.”
Family owned Beck has announced that if approval is achieved and Kickstart funding is awarded, construction will begin on the initial phase of this new development prior to the Summer. This first phase of Primrose Village is part of an outline planning permission that was submitted in June 2009 for 162 units in total and which has recently been endorsed by the Council’s Planning Committee.
Dave Thomas concludes, “Our initial outline planning permission for other longer-term phases of Primrose Village will see the development of a community in Clitheroe. We have a vision of potentially developing 300 new homes throughout the wider region during the next 10 years so areas of Clitheroe will be enhanced with a new village infrastructure providing accommodation for the local population. The achievement of Kickstart funding will be a major coup and we are all very hopeful of achieving planning permission.”
Nicky Harris, Project Manager from Contour Homes agrees, “Achieving planning permission on this landmark development will be great news and allow us to bring quality homes to Clitheroe. We are delighted to be working in partnership with Beck Homes and are confident the proposed new homes are right for the local population. As one of the North West’s largest registered social landlords we currently have over 20,000 properties under our ownership and management and some of these are in Clitheroe so we are pleased to be given the opportunity to strengthen our links with the local community.”