PLANS to regenerate the former Laneside care home site have finally been revealed.

The eyesore building in Shorrock Lane, Blackburn, was bought through a drawn-out compulsory purchase order process by Blackburn with Darwen Council earlier this year.

And now affordable housing provider Great Places have submitted their scheme for the site.

The firm is proposing to knock down the old care home and build 16 houses.

A Great Places spokesman said: “Great Places have tailored the proposed scheme to meet local demand as outlined by the local authority for the housing needs in the area. The brief included a mixture of small and medium-sized family homes.”

The site has been left empty for more than 10 years and is in serious disrepair.

The empty building became a target for vandalism, fly tipping and anti-social behaviour.

Great Places aim to provide new build affordable family accommodation on the site following demolition of the current building.

The firm has undertaken a number of surveys at the site and have prepared a scheme layout which provides 16 new homes consisting of eight two-bed and eight three-bed homes for affordable rent.

The spokesman added: “The aim of the development is to provide a high-quality living environment which is sympathetic to its surroundings whilst reflecting the distinctive characteristics of the local area. All the homes will be energy efficient, creating sustainability for the occupants and the environment.

“Generously designed houses with private gardens and in-curtilage parking will provide a safe and convenient living environment for growing families.”

The Laneside building was formerly a care home for the elderly which was built around 1964.

Following de-commission of the care home, the land and building was sold to a private purchaser in September 2000. Between 2000 and 2004 the building was converted into 19 apartments which were each sold to private purchasers.

Following some sporadic occupation of a small number of the apartments between 2004 and 2007, the building became empty again and remained empty.

The council’s empty property team worked with the owner to bring it back into use but with no success. Blackburn with Darwen Council began the compulsory purchase order process on the old care home in Mill Hill, last year.

Cllr Damian Talbot said he was “absolutely over the moon” with the result.