'We don't need any more housing, it's a joke!' - Darreners react to 430 home masterplan proposals

The Holden Fold masterplan, which was revealed on Friday, could see derelict land on the former Darwen Moorland High School site sold-off and developed into a new community with 430 houses, new roads, expanded primary school capacity and an upgrade for the Square Meadow sports facility.

A consultation period will be launched on Monday where residents will be able to have their say on the masterplan proposals.

However, following the announcement, many Darwen residents took to social media to express their concerns over the possibility of a new development.

One Facebook user said: "They keep building houses without an infrastructure to support them.

"The same with the waste processing plant they're on about building - 300 extra lorries a day on Goosehouse Lane.

"And at the same time shutting down emergency services in Darwen. It's ridiculous."

While another resident commented: "We really don’t need any more housing.

"This site is already home to local youth football teams; they could build more sports related facilities to compliment that."

Other people voiced their frustrations about an unfinished site within the town, namely the old Crown Paints site, and said before any new development was given the go-ahead, work on that particular site should be completed first.

One person said: "I think that any developer wanting to build anywhere in Darwen should be forced to finish that site as part of a deal.

"That's the only way it will get done. It's a total blot on Darwen's landscape."

Another user backed up that claim and then suggested the Holden Fold site was 'full of sinkholes'.

The resident said: "That site is full of sinkholes. I remember part of the playing field collapsing, it was just cordoned off for the next few years.

"And as for the Crown site, India Mill should buy the remaining land for a staff car park, it's been so lovely being able to actually park around here, but after Christmas it'll be back to inconsiderate parking and massive litter problems again."

There has long been indignation towards new housing developments in Darwen in recent times, with residents quick to express their distaste at two sites close to Pole Lane and Spring Meadows, which were being developed by Kier Homes and Persimmon Housing.

Their anger towards the Holden Fold proposals has come as no surprise then, as one frsutrated Darrener said: "So 430 homes on there and 350 on Bailes, where the hell are all the kids going?

"The schools and doctors and dentists are full; our town's going to be over run."

With another slightly frustrated resident commenting: "Have you seen how much of a joke this is?

"The land is all contaminated and they want to put houses on there??"

And one unhappy Facebook user stated: "As with many other developments in the area, there seems to be a total lack of understanding of the impact this would have on the road infrastructure.

"If this goes ahead there could be an additional 600 cars trying to get onto the motorway network during rush hour, and its bad enough already."

However, not everyone was quick to poo-poo the proposals with just one person saying the masterplan would perhaps be a good idea.

The Facebook user said: "To be honest, I’d rather them build on this than take away the fields and the greenery in Darwen.

"I think it needs building on as it doesn't look the best at the moment."

The public consultation will go live on Monday.

To have your say visit: blackburn.gov.uk/about-council/consultations.