Wain Homes enters partnership in bid to deliver Blackburn paper mill homes
Black Pearl Capital Partners has teamed up with the housebuilder to complete the 500-home redevelopment of the former Sappi factory in the Lancashire town.
Blackburn Waterside Regeneration, a subsidiary of Black Pearl, was granted permission to transform the Sappi Paper Mill site into a residential development in 2015.
The first 95 properties – branded Watermills – are currently under construction and Wain Homes is preparing a further application for the second phase. Construction of the next tranche of homes may begin later this year if permission is granted by Blackburn with Darwen Council.
Richard Chamberlain, managing director, Wain Homes, added: “This has been a complex negotiation, and we are pleased to be at a point where we will shortly submit a detailed planning application for the next phase of homes, ranging from apartments to large four-bedroom family homes.
“We look forward to working closely with Black Pearl, the local authority, stakeholders, and residents to create a development that enhances the overall quality of life in Blackburn.”
Black Pearl Capital Partners has been involved in the project for more than a decade; the investor bought the Sappi Mill site in 2012.
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Abbas Jafarian, chief operating officer, Black Pearl, said: “We are delighted to announce the collaboration with Wain Homes in expediting the completion of the Watermills vision.
“The shared commitment to delivering high-quality residential properties underscores the mutual dedication to meeting the growing demand for housing in the region.”
Cllr Phil Riley, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “As with all sites, it’s incredibly important for us to have a developer with a really good local knowledge and a strong track record of delivering high-quality schemes and so this new partnership…is good news all round.”
