A £10MILLION project to provide new rented accommodation across Blackburn and Darwen has been unveiled.

Twin Valley Homes announced the scheme after securing planning permission for a 73-house estate at Queen's Park, Blackburn, to replace bedsits it demolished within a year of taking over the borough's council houses in 2001.

The move has been taken to fulfill a need for more rental properties in Blackburn and Darwen. Twin Valley Homes believes it will create new, mixed communities by offering a range of modern, high-quality homes.

The firm, based in Eanam, plans to create two new estates, the other being at Two Gates in Darwen, and also has plans for smaller schemes.

In total, it is spending £10million, thanks in part to a new finance deal agreed with banks.

The 73-house project is on land between Lincoln Road, Pringle Street and North Road, Queen's Park.

The site was one of the first to be cleared of dozens of unpopular bedsit-type accommodation by the firm, which is committed to spending around £100million over 10 years on improving the housing it inherited.

Phil Richards, chief executive of Twin Valley Homes, said: "The houses we are proposing here are ones which are needed in the area.

"When we took over the housing stock, we had a lot of homes which we just couldn't rent because they weren't needed.

"The styles we have chosen for this development are needed, and the mixture of sizes, uses, and ownership should create a mixed community with a high standard of homes."

No objections have been received to the plans by the council and Coun Yusuf Sidat, a Lib Dem councillor for Queen's Park described the plan as 'good news' for the area.

The scheme will be built in four phases, the first of which will be for rent. A total of 23 houses, including six three-bedroomed, eight four-bedroomed, two five-bedroomed and seven bunaglow houses will be built. Homes at Two Gates will be sold off with some retained for renting.