Diggers clear way for 125 new houses

Land on corner of Eastway and Lightfoot Green Lane in Fulwood, which has been earmarked for 125 homes

Charles Church, part of the Persimmon group, gained outline permission for the development in Lightfoot Green Lane in 2013 and reserved matters approval last month.

It comes despite concerns of Woodplumpton Parish Council over the long term impact of traffic in the area, which is used by HGVs accessing Bradley’s Sand Pit and visitors to Preston Grasshoppers Rugby Club.

Now tens of large fir trees have been cut down at the site’s Lightfoot Lane border, exposing a large detached house, outbuildings and stables that will be demolished as part of the development.

To be known as Silver Hill Gardens, it will be one of the first pieces of the planned development of new homes in North West Preston.

Work is set to fully begin next month and the site is expected to be complete in 2020.

Mark Cook, managing director for Charles Church Lancashire, said: “A third of the development will be affordable homes, offered for sale at 67 per cent of their full market value to eligible local buyers.

“We are in the process of working through the pre-commencement conditions for the site, to enable construction work to begin. This has involved the removal of trees required to facilitate the access, and its visibility, and cycleway, prior to the start of nesting season to ensure we have no impact on nesting birds.”

Houses will be mainly three and four-bed detached, alongside some mews and two-bed units.

There will be curved roads to reduce speeds, landscaping and parking for 289 cars.