Developers fined £24m for what they've been doing at problem-plagued new Lancashire housing estate
The developer of a problem-plagued new housing estate on a main road into Blackburn has been fined more than £24,000 for dumping a pile of waste at the site.
Blackburn with Darwen Council took action over the tipping in response to complaints by residents of the Meadowbrook Rise development, off Haslingden Road, in Blackburn.
Last week Heron Homes Ltd were fined £24,629 – the highest financial penalty ever secured by the authority’s Environmental Crime Team – for the large amount of waste at the development.
The penalty was issued by Blackburn Magistrates Court on Wednesday March 11.
It was first reported to Blackburn with Darwen Council in June 2024, and the team issued a warning and notice to Heron Homes Ltd, but this was ignored and more waste was added.
The council took the case to court, and a judge found the company guilty of causing harm to the local area.
The authority is also progressing further legal action to seek an injunction against Walbury Homes Ltd, Walbury Commercial Ltd and Heron Homes Ltd over non-compliance with planning and highway conditions.
The court papers have been filed.
In October residents led by Javed Iqbal took their complaints about the development directly to a full Council Forum meeting of Blackburn with Darwen Council.
The authority’s growth boss Cllr Quesir Mahmood said he was happy to have a private meeting with residents, adding: “Firstly, the council fully sympathises with the residents who are facing problems on this private housing site.
“Since the development started in 2018, the council has carried out many enforcement actions.
“The council is taking this matter very seriously and has done, regularly visiting the site and acting on issues raised wherever it is within the council’s powers to do so.”
Following last week’s fine Cllr Mahmood said: “I have met with the residents living at Meadowbrook Rise and I understand just how worrying and frustrating this situation is.
“Unfortunately, as a council, we only have very limited powers available to us, but we will continue to do what we can to hold the developers to account.
“Our environmental crime team acted quickly to pursue enforcement when warnings were ignored; and this significant fine sends a clear message.
“Further legal action is already being progressed, and we will keep residents updated as the situation develops.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service is attempting to contact Walbury Homes Ltd, Walbury Commercial Ltd and Heron Homes Ltd for comment.