Area Guide: Blackburn

Blackburn is Lancashire's second largest town and one of the North West's most compelling places to buy a new build home.

With house prices well below the national average, major regeneration investment underway and strong transport links to Manchester and Preston, the town offers genuine long term value for first time buyers, growing families and upsizers alike.

Why buy a new build home in Blackburn?

Blackburn sits on the southern edge of the Ribble Valley, north of the West Pennine Moors. It combines urban amenity with countryside access in a way that larger cities simply cannot match at the same price point.

The median house price to earnings ratio in Blackburn with Darwen is well below the England average. New build homes here offer modern, energy efficient living at a fraction of the cost of equivalent properties in Manchester or Preston.

Many developments include solar panels, EV charging points and advanced insulation as standard, cutting annual energy bills by up to 65% compared to older properties.

The M65 motorway runs directly through Blackburn, making it straightforward to commute to Preston in around 30 minutes and Manchester in under an hour.

Blackburn railway station offers regular services to both cities. Manchester Airport is reachable in under an hour by car.

The town has one of the youngest populations in the country and a growing borough of around 157,000 people.

It supports a strong base of major employers including Euro Garages, one of the UK's largest petrol station and convenience store operators, alongside significant public sector employment through the NHS and Blackburn with Darwen Council.

Regeneration projects shaping Blackburn's future

Blackburn is in the middle of the largest town centre regeneration scheme of its type in the entire North West. The £250 million masterplan, led by developer Maple Grove in partnership with Blackburn with Darwen Council, is transforming the former Thwaites Brewery site and the surrounding town centre over a 10 year period.

Key elements of the programme include:

• A £60 million skills and education campus with a dedicated cyber zone, linked to the National Cyber Force headquarters at nearby Samlesbury. Planning permission has been granted for two buildings totalling 138,000 sq ft on the Brown Street car park site, with Training 2000 occupying the lead building.
• A tech innovation quarter and new business district designed to attract cyber, aerospace and defence businesses to the town centre.
• The conversion of Grade II listed St John's Church into 9,000 sq ft of flexible workspace following severe fire damage in 2019.
• The £50 million Cultural Quarter centred on the Blakey Moor Townscape Heritage Project, bringing restored buildings, new bars and restaurants and improved public realm to the Northgate Conservation Area.
• An £8 million renovation of King George's Hall, part of a wider package of more than £125 million in Levelling Up funding secured by the council.
• A housing regeneration programme in the Griffin area of Blackburn, with 80 new homes approved as the second phase of a scheme that has already delivered 138 new homes and invested nearly £20 million in the neighbourhood.

A new UCLan campus is also part of the wider plans, targeting skills and supporting the pipeline of talent needed by the growing cyber and advanced manufacturing sectors nearby.

Schools and colleges in Blackburn

Blackburn is well served by a broad range of primary schools, secondary schools and further education colleges. Below is a selection of notable institutions across the town.

• Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School consistently ranked among the highest performing secondary schools in Blackburn. Blackburn, BB1
• Westholme School an independent school for pupils aged 4 to 18, located on the western edge of Blackburn. Meins Road, BB2 6QU
• Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School selective state school with a regional reputation. West Park Road, BB2 6DF
• Our Lady and St John Catholic College Catholic secondary academy. St James's Road, BB1 8HQ
• Witton Park Academy large secondary academy in Blackburn. Preston New Road, BB2 5PJ
• St Gabriel's CE Primary School Ofsted Outstanding primary in the BB1 area.
• Blackburn College the town's main further education college, offering academic and vocational qualifications as well as degree level study through a University Centre validated by Lancaster University. Feilden Street, BB2 1LH
• St Mary's College Sixth form and specialist courses serving students across East Lancashire. Shear Brow, BB1 8DX

Popular areas to live in Blackburn

Blackburn covers a wide range of neighbourhoods, each with a distinct character and appeal.

Beardwood and Lammack are among the most sought-after residential areas in the town. Located in the BB2 postcode, they offer larger detached and semi-detached homes, good school catchments and easy access to Witton Country Park. Property prices are higher here than in other parts of the borough.

Revidge and Queen's Park offer Victorian and Edwardian housing stock with elevated views across the town. These established suburbs appeal to professionals and families who want character properties within easy reach of the town centre.

Cherry Tree and Feniscowles sit to the southwest of the town centre, close to the M65 junction 3. The area is popular with commuters and families and borders the West Pennine Moors. Several new build developments have been launched in this area in recent years.

Shadsworth and Mill Hill offer more affordable entry points to the Blackburn market. Mill Hill has benefited from significant housing regeneration investment and continues to attract first-time buyers.

Pleasington is a quiet village on the fringe of the borough with a popular golf club and strong countryside connections. It sits within the BB2 postcode and is valued for its rural feel while remaining within easy reach of the town.

Major sports teams

Blackburn has a proud sporting heritage and supports several professional and semi-professional teams.

• Blackburn Rovers FC - The town's professional football club, founded in 1875 and a Premier League champion in 1994-95. Ewood Park, their home ground, has a capacity of around 31,000 and sits in the Ewood area of town, BB2 4JF.
• Blackburn Rovers Cricket Club - One of the oldest cricket clubs in Lancashire, based in the town.
• Blackburn Hawks Ice Hockey Club - A successful semi-professional ice hockey team based at the Blackburn Arena.

New build developments in Blackburn on newhomesforsale.co.uk

Several high-quality new build developments are currently listed in and around Blackburn on newhomesforsale.co.uk. Here is a guide to five of the most notable.

Water's Edge, Blackburn

Water's Edge by Keepmoat Homes sits on the banks of Fishmoor Reservoir, just 1.5 miles from Blackburn town centre. The development offers 3 & 4 bedroom homes in a waterside setting with extensive green space.

It is well placed for the Royal Blackburn Training Hospital and the M65 motorway. Homes include PV panels, EV charging points and high performance glazing, delivering up to 65% energy savings compared to older properties.

The development is located at Shadsworth, BB2 3FG and is suitable for first time buyers and growing families.

Sunnybower Meadow, Blackburn

Sunnybower Meadow is a Bovis Homes development sitting just south of the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and seven minutes from Blackburn town centre.

It offers 2, 3, 4 & 5 bedroom homes combining country living with town centre convenience.

Witton Country Park is close by and the River Darwen runs nearby. Preston is a 30-minute drive via the A677 and A59.

The development is at BB1 5FL and caters for a wide range of buyers, from first time purchasers to those looking to upsize.

Bernets Nook, Feniscowles

Bernets Nook by Barratt Homes is located on the outskirts of Feniscowles Village, 10 minutes from Blackburn town centre. The development brings 3, 4 & 5 bedroom energy efficient homes to an elevated position with open countryside views.

Feniscowles has shops, eateries and a strong choice of local schools. Motorway access to the M65 connects easily to Blackburn, Darwen, Chorley and Bolton.

This is a popular location for families seeking a village edge setting with excellent commuter links.

Green Hills Farmstead, Feniscowles

Green Hills Farmstead by Kingswood Homes is one of the most distinctive new build developments in the Blackburn area.

Set on a semi-rural Pennine hillside in Feniscowles, the site is built around two village greens with more than 50 bespoke house designs inspired by traditional Lancashire farmsteads and barns.

The Farmstead Collection offers 3, 4, 5 & 6 bedroom homes, all with the option to customise floor plans through the Shape Your Home programme.

The newest phase includes £15,000 of eco extras as standard, covering solar roof panels, heat recovery showers and enhanced insulation. The development is at BB2 5BX.

Cooper Fields, Darwen

Cooper Fields by Linden Homes is a new development oon the northeastern edge of Darwen, near Blackburn.

The development at BB3 3AU suits first time buyers, families and couples looking for energy efficient homes with a modern specification.

Green spaces and countryside trails are accessible directly from the site while the M65 and M6 motorways provide straightforward commuter access across the North West.

To view all current new build homes for sale in Blackburn and the surrounding area, visit our Blackburn location page.