Castle Green Homes
Little Knowley Farm
Welcome to our Community Consultation
Little Knowley Farm
Welcome
Castle Green Homes are bringing forward plans for around 146 new homes including 35% affordable homes on land at Little Knowley Farm, Blackburn Brow, Chorley alongside significant areas of public open space and landscaping – aiming to create a new sustainable neighbourhood set within an attractive landscape setting and providing much needed new homes in Chorley.
The Site forms part of the Blackburn Brow housing allocation in the draft Central Lancashire Local Plan.
We are keen to hear from local residents and stakeholders on what they would like to see within the development prior to its submission to Chorley Council for consideration.
Please visit the ‘Have your say’ section to provide your comments.
Why are new homes needed?
For over 50 years, there has been a sustained lack of housebuilding nationally, resulting in a failure to deliver the number of homes needed to meet the demands of a population that is living longer. This has led to local shortages of both open-market and affordable housing. The UK is facing a ‘housing crisis,’ with a growing number of people living in unsuitable accommodation or unable to afford a home. The average first-time buyer in the UK is now 34 years old—five years older than in 1990.
The Government has made it clear that there is a need to ‘significantly boost’ the supply of housing, setting targets for each local authority to meet both current and future needs and aiming to deliver just over 370,000 new homes per year nationally.
The Site
The land at Little Knowley Farm comprises a parcel of land situated between Blackburn Brow and Heapey Road in Little Knowley, Chorley. It is located to the north-east of Chorley, beyond the M61.
Little Knowley Farm and its associated buildings, which lie immediately south of the site (outside the red line boundary), will be retained. These buildings are accessed separately via a vehicular track off Heapey Road.
The eastern boundary is formed by an existing hedge and tree line. To the south, the site adjoins greenfield land, Little Knowley Farm, a local play area, and residential properties. To the west, it is bordered by Knowley Brow and Blackburn Brow, benefiting from extensive road frontage.
Local Context
The site is located within a sustainable distance and well placed to provide short, direct and attractive pedestrian journeys to a range of day-to-day amenities such as bus stops, shops, schools and health facilities.
Education
Joseph’s RC Primary School, St Peter’s CoE Primary School and The Hollies Pre- School are all within a 1.5km walking distance to the west of the M61.
St. Michael’s C of E High School is a 1.6km walk from the centre of the site.
Planning Policy Position
The site is a draft housing allocation within the emerging Central Lancashire Local Plan.
The Policy advises the following:
New Homes
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The Site shall deliver a range of housing tenures, types and sizes to ensure development contributes to meeting the Borough’s general and specialist housing needs, including family homes with gardens and specific provisions for older and younger people looking to purchase their first home.
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35% affordable housing
Natural Environment
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The layout shall account for existing landscape features, including trees and significant hedgerows –measurable biodiversity net gain shall be achieved.
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Development proposals should integrate and support measures that maximise and reinforce the environmental and socio-economic benefits.
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A 10% Biodiversity Net Gain will be achieved.
Transport and Accessibility
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Transport improvements will be required to support the development, including ensuring appropriate access arrangements to the site, provision of cycling and walking routes which connect into the wider existing footway network and provide connectivity with the existing community.
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Good accessibility to public transport services should be provided by ensuring that the existing bus routes on the B6228 Blackburn Brow are served by a number of bus services.
Utilities and Environmental Protection
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A site-wide surface water strategy is required incorporating SUDs and flood alleviation measures.
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The development shall be designed to mitigate the impacts of climate change and be as energy efficient as possible – seeking to meet a proportion of its energy needs from renewable or low carbon sources.
Historic Environment
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There are no built heritage assets at the application site and no non-designated heritage assets have been identified in or around the application site. The development will result in no harm to the significance of The Rough as a Grade II Listed Building which is located at a considerable distance of 430m north of the site.
Proposed Scheme
Our proposed plans for the site include the following: -
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Around 146 new homes including affordable homes, as well as homes for first-time buyers, families and those looking to downsize.
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A mix of 2, 3, and 4-bedroom homes.
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35% of the homes will be affordable housing and will be delivered in a variety of tenures including 70% social rent and 30% intermediate, alongside our Registered Provider partners.
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Substantial areas of public open space and areas utilised for biodiversity enhancement.
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Retention of existing trees and hedgerows within the Site.
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Creation of new and enhanced pedestrian footways and cycleways.
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Vehicular access via Blackburn Brow to the West of the site.
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10% Biodiversity Net Gain.
Housing Mix
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The Scheme will deliver a wide range of house types to suit a variety of purchasers, ranging from 2 to 4 bedrooms and including mews, semi-detached and detached properties.
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House types will be of traditional design with architectural detailing being informed by the character of existing properties in the local area.
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Homes will be constructed using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and be timber frame and incorporate a range of energy-efficient features including high-performing double glazing, energy-efficient boilers and electric vehicle charging points.
Open Space & Landscaping
The scheme proposes high-quality open space ensuring the provision of accessible and comprehensive green spaces.
A LEAP will be provided as an extension to the existing play area on Heapey Road. Public open space will be overlooked by adjacent housing to provide natural surveillance and contribute to the safety of the site.
The existing trees and hedges will be retained where possible and designed into the proposed development.
Site Considerations
Site opportunities & Constraints
![P21-2496_DE_002B - 01 Constraints and Opportunities Plan[2].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/82d7a3_95222fcab1cd47c8a4c6d45e4eec6d0c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_956,h_667,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/P21-2496_DE_002B%20-%2001%20Constraints%20and%20Opportunities%20Plan%5B2%5D.jpg)
Technical Considerations
Highways
Vehicular access to the Site is proposed via a single priority-controlled access junction delivered via the B6228 Blackburn Brow.
Public Transport – The development of the Site presents an opportunity to deliver new homes in a sustainable location with good access to a range of public transport choices, to minimise reliance on private cars.
There are existing bus stops located along both sides of the carriageway on the B6228 Blackburn Brow, within the recommended 400m walk distance from the site.
Pedestrian/Cycle Access - The Site incorporates a network of attractive pedestrian and cycle routes which provide connections to existing footpath provisions between the site and Chorley town centre.
Noise
There are no significant noise constraints which prevent the development from coming forward for new homes. Where required, mitigation measures will include higher specification glazing for plots located close to Blackburn Brow to further reduce the noise levels.
Heritage
Heritage assessment undertaken to inform the development layout concludes that the proposed development ‘does not form part of the immediate setting of the Grade II Listed Mount Hotel or Grade II Listed Stable block and Coach house and there is no intervisibility due to intervening development, topography and vegetation.’
Ecology/Arboriculture
Ecology appraisal undertaken to support the application has concluded that the site development would have very limited impacts on the ecology of the site, and with an appropriate soft-landscaping scheme, site development is likely to improve the biodiversity value of the site areas contributing to the 10% Biodiversity Net Gain.
The proposed scheme will seek to retain much of the features within areas of green infrastructure including hedgerows and trees along the site boundaries, however if any trees or hedgerow are to be removed to accommodate proposals, replacement trees will be planted.
Drainage & Flood Risk
Surface water flows for the site will be restricted to pre-development greenfield runoff rates and will be discharged via gravity to an open watercourse to the east and an open drainage ditch to the west.
Foul water will discharge via gravity to an existing sewer located in Knowley Brow. A portion of the site towards the East will require a pumping station due to existing topography.
Benefits
Construction Benefits
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£33.4million estimated construction investment over the three-year build programme
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171 jobs supported per annum during the three-year build phase. This relates to on-site roles, in addition to jobs supported in the wider supply chain.
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£33.9million GVA2 economic output contribution from jobs supported during the three-year build programme. This is the total figure over the entire build phase. The annual estimate is £11.3million.
Operational Benefits
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170 economically active and employed residents estimated to live in the new housing. This assumes the dwellings align with the current socio-economic climate of Chorley and is underpinned by ONS data from the Annual Population Survey for January-December 2024.
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£876,000 estimated first occupation expenditure (Spending to make a house feel like a ‘home’).
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£342,056 estimated Council Tax revenue
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£3.8millon of annual household spend, of which £1.7million is estimated to be on food & drink, leisure, restaurants, clothes, household goods etc. and is the expenditure most likely to benefit local businesses.
Contact us
Have your say...
We would welcome your feedback on our proposals. To have your say, please complete the feedback form no later than Friday 23rd May 2025 to ensure your comments can be considered.
Once complete, all responses will be reviewed before finalising the scheme for submission. The planning application will be accompanied by a Statement of Public Consultation detailing how Castle Green Homes has sought to respond to those comments received.
If you would like to send your comments via email or post, please send them to the following addresses: -
Post
c/o Little Knowley Consultation
Castle Green Homes
Bridgemere House
Preston Brook
WA7 3BD