Plan for Blackburn rehab village 'dropped'
4:49pm Tuesday 16th October 2012 in News
CONFUSION reigns over plans to build a drugs rehabilitation village in an area of Blackburn.
Blackburn with Darwen Council, which was in discussions with developer Cunningham Hart Investments over the former Scotland Bank Mill site in Heys Lane, Ewood, said it was its understanding that the idea had been dropped.
But when asked by the Lancashire Telegraph, the developer said no decision would be made ‘until November.’
Residents living in Ewood had campaigned against the facility, which was proposed to be the biggest of its kind in East Lancashire, catering for hundreds of addicts a year with 24 detox units, 18 bedsits and 18 flats.
It was widely claimed that the development was ‘totally unsuitable’ and was also ‘too large’ for the site.
Ewood Councillor Maureen Bateson said: “The council’s understanding is that the developers have pulled out.“There was a lot of public opposition to the intentions, and I think the developers were taken aback by the strength of feeling.
“Very few people were in favour and there were lots and lots of concerns, because it’s a very densly populated site.”
A spokesman for Cunningham Hart Investments said: “At the moment, no decision has been made.
“We are still evaluating the feedback received from local residents.”
Comments(5)
2 for 5p
says...
8:27am Wed 17 Oct 12
bow1974
says...
9:23am Wed 17 Oct 12
Davelyn
says...
3:56pm Wed 17 Oct 12
vegeboy
says...
4:26pm Wed 17 Oct 12
bow1974 wrote:lets hope you never fall victim to addictions then .
I'd just give them all a leathel injection job done millions of pounds a year saved crime rates halved.
woolywords says...
11:03pm Tue 16 Oct 12
To have a development as was planned, in effect 'dumped' on residents, is assured of a NIMBY attitude, especially when there was no prior consultation with locals.
Someone badly misjudged the current climate towards drug abusers, who are in effect, a victim of their own lifestyle choices and would directly affect those whom had made a substantial monetary investment in the area, without any government handouts.
I think that my solution would gain approval both with residents and council alike, since it caters for a need that the current market sadly lacks.