Outline Planning Application

The above indicative site masterplans show how a development of 148 new dwellings could be achieved across the site (with 81 dwellings on the northern parcel and 67 dwellings on the southern parcel).

Due to both parcels of land having variable, sloping topography, a “cut and fill” exercise will be required to create suitable site levels for the new dwelling plots. Where possible, the material excavated during the cut and fill exercise will be retained on site to create the new site levels. The new site levels will have a limited impact on the overall topography of the wider area because the high and low points of the site will not be altered, rather a gentler slope will be created in the centre of both parcels of land.

The requirement for the cut and fill exercise means that the new dwellings will be located within the central area on both parcels of land. The new dwellings being within the central areas also ensures that the existing trees that are protected by Tree Preservation Orders will not be impacted by the development, and it ensures that the location of historic mineshafts are not within the dwelling plots.

Vehicular access to the northern parcel will be from Marsh House Lane, and vehicular access to the southern parcel will be from Pole Lane. Discussions have taken place between Reaper Ltd and Lancashire County Council (the Local Highway Authority) to inform where the vehicular access points and pedestrian crossings will be located.

The overarching vision for the site is to create a new housing estate with a considerately designed layout that prioritises pedestrian and cyclist movement through the site, and that is landscape led to prioritise the provision of on-site public open spaces for residents and areas for wildlife and biodiversity enhancements (including in the northern most part of the northern parcel, as requested by local community groups in previous engagement with them). Being landscape led in this way also provides opportunities for the spaces to be multifunctional to provide sustainable urban drainage as well.

The new development will integrate into the existing sustainable settlement of Darwen directly to the west of the site, in terms of both connectivity and design, through the retention of the existing Public Rights of Ways and through the creation of pedestrian and cycle links to Marsh House Lane and Pole Lane (as just some examples).

An outline planning application is going to be submitted for the proposed development in Autumn / Winter 2026. The application will be “outline with all matters reserved except for access”. This means that the documentation submitted with the application will demonstrate how the site can be developed to achieve the requirements of the Local Plan Allocation Policy (discussed in more detail further below), and it will set key parameters for the development.

Details about specific design matters such as the size and external appearance of the dwellings (i.e. house type plans) will not form part of the outline planning application that is submitted by Reaper Ltd. Those matters will be addressed by the housebuilder that is going to develop the site, as part of reserved matters planning applications, at a later date.

Local Plan Allocation Policy Requirements

The site is allocated for housing in the Blackburn with Darwen Local Plan, as indicated in the image below. The hatched pattern on the northern part of the northern parcel is a “housing commitment” site, and the block colour on the southern part of the northern parcel and on the southern parcel is a “housing growth” site (site reference H181).

Local Plan Policy CP4 sets out a range requirements for delivering new housing across the Blackburn with Darwen Authority area. The requirement of particular note for the Land at Marsh House Lane site is that for major developments (10 or more dwellings in total) the Council expects 20% of homes delivered to be affordable units, and those units must be retained as affordable units in perpetuity. On-site provision of the affordable units is preferred, but financial contributions to off-site provision may be appropriate in some limited circumstances.

Local Plan Policy H181 (specifically about the housing growth site portion of the application site) sets out the following specific requirements:.

• A contribution will be expected to help mitigate the impacts of the development. This includes funding provision of additional primary and secondary school places and any other specific infrastructure requirements;
• Early dialogue with United Utilities and the Council’s Drainage team will be required prior to the submission of a planning application for developing the site due to its location in close proximity to an identified drainage area; the dialogue with United Utilities will need to address the presence of utilities infrastructure within the site;
• Completion of appropriate ground investigation works will be required to establish the extent of any ground contamination and any required mitigation measures due to former mining workings on the land;
• Development of this site will be required to provide an appropriate mix of housing tenure, types and quality;
• The site is expected to contribute towards the woodland improvements to the adjacent Environmental Opportunity Area to reduce flood risk within the associated river catchment;
• Potential ecological impacts must be considered as part of any planning application for developing the site due to its greenfield nature. There is a pond located in the northwest corner of the site to the south of Marsh House Lane which should be retained as part of any new development;
• The development layout and scheme detailing should provide good connectivity to the established Public Rights of Way network including mitigation of any adverse impacts;
• The Council’s Open Space Audit (2021) identified a deficiency of amenity greenspace in the Darwen Neighbourhood Area which development proposals should seek to address wherever possible. Proposals will also be expected to provide a LEAP onsite (or contribution towards off site provision where justified);
• An archaeological desk-based assessment and walkover will be required as part of any planning application for developing the site to assess potential archaeological features on site – farmsteads, colliery and pits known; and
• Suitable vehicular access to the site is available off Marsh House Lane.