CHANGES are to be made to the way council bosses carry out demolitions of houses in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the Darwen academy saga.

Blackburn with Darwen Council is to put in place a new procedure to cover the way “clearance areas” are put in place.

The move follows the long-running fight by a group of residents against clearance of Darwen’s Redearth Triangle to make way for the £48million academy.

The changes planned would make the process more “open and transparent”, a report says.

Executive member for housing Coun Salim Lorgat said: “We are learning lessons from Redearth and putting procedures in place.”

Some Redearth residents have still yet to agree on a final settlement with the council for their homes.

And Lib Dem Coun Simon Huggill, who fought a public inquiry alongside the residents, added: “This is long overdue.

“Clearance shatters communities and I am looking for some pretty major changes”.

In line with the recommendations of the Local Government Ombudsman - who did not find injustice caused by the council’s actions - elected councillors will become more central to the decision-making process, and two reports will have to come before the ruling executive board before clearance permission can be granted.

Dan Hillary, of Highfield Road, Blackburn, referred the matter to the ombudsman after a similar clearance scheme in the Infirmary area of Blackburn. He still lives in his house but neighbouring properties are being demolished to make way for the Housing Market Renewal programme.

The 30-year-old said: “This is too late for me, but it’s very interesting they are thinking about changing things.

“Having said that, they have a 15-year masterplan saying what they want to do so I’m not sure how much difference it makes.”