Ribbon cut on Blackburn scheme built to house NHS workers near the hospital

A new affordable housing scheme for NHS workers in Blackburn has been officially opened, with 37 apartments now complete opposite Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Great Places Housing Group marked the completion at Attlee House at Water’s Edge, welcoming Blackburn with Darwen Council leader Councillor Phil Riley, representatives from Homes England and developers Keepmoat.

The scheme is being described as the first of its kind in the borough.

Residents at the event spoke about how the homes have changed their lives, including nurse Salima Akuji, who helped welcome visitors and gave tours of her new home.

The apartments are for social rent, with eligible employees from East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust prioritised. Great Places said that means local key workers are living just a six-minute walk from work.

Attlee House is part of the wider Water’s Edge development on the banks of Fishmoor Reservoir, which will deliver 205 homes. The broader scheme includes privately owned homes from Keepmoat and shared ownership properties through Plumlife Homes.

Nick Gornall, Director of Growth at Great Places, said: “These much-needed homes demonstrate our commitment to providing high-quality, affordable housing that supports local people and helps communities thrive.

The partnership has worked collaboratively to target eligible people working for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust and as it is fully occupied, this means the development is already making a positive impact for key workers who provide vital services across the borough.

We would like to thank Blackburn with Darwen Council, Homes England, Keepmoat and everyone involved in helping us deliver this important scheme.”

Councillor Riley said: “Water’s Edge is a terrific example of the power of partnership working to change the lives of our residents.

Attlee House is now home to hard-working hospital staff, staff who deserve to come home to high-quality apartments like this after a day serving our communities.

Right from the beginning of this scheme, we were adamant that key workers must be prioritised and we have achieved that and heard today what an incredible difference these new homes are making.

One resident told us: ‘You haven’t built new houses here, you’ve created much-needed new homes’ and that is absolutely right.

This is a pioneering scheme for our borough – a scheme that we are immensely proud of.”

More than £8.6 million has been invested by Great Places to deliver the affordable homes at Attlee House, with a further £3.8 million from Homes England through the Affordable Homes Programme.

In total, there are 57 affordable homes within the development, just off Haslingden Road.

Sustainability features include an all-electric energy system at Attlee House, while homes across Water’s Edge have photovoltaic panels, EV charging points, enhanced insulation and high-performance glazing.

Katie Dean, Director of Land and Partnerships at Keepmoat North West, said: “At Keepmoat, we’re committed to working with partners across the region to deliver high-quality homes across a range of tenures.

Our investment in Water’s Edge, including the apartments at Attlee House, reflects that commitment. It’s been a pleasure to work alongside Great Places and our other partners to provide much-needed affordable housing in Blackburn and support the growth of this thriving new community.”