New homes near Blackburn
Bordering the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, our new homes for sale in Blackburn offer the very best of Lancashire living. From daring moorland hikes to Premier League football, there’s nothing that Blackburn doesn’t offer. Sports, heritage, countryside and transport are all at your doorstep when you’re living in the West Pennine Moors.
Living in Blackburn
Blackburn is the second largest town in Lancashire, located a few miles east of Preston and a stone’s throw south of the Forest of Bowland. It’s surrounded by the cities of Manchester, Liverpool and Blackpool, and enjoys direct driving access to Bolton, with the West Pennine Moors directly to the south.
Living in Blackburn is the perfect mix of town and country life: with plenty of motorways close by, three cities within commuting distance, and rural landscapes on all sides, you can enjoy an outdoorsy and amenity-rich lifestyle at home.
Explore our new homes for sale near Blackburn
What TO DO
Things to do in Blackburn
The Forest of Bowland borders Blackburn to the north, a sprawling national park covering 803 square kilometres of Lancashire and North Yorkshire countryside. It’s known for having some of the darkest skies in England and for providing miles of hikes across its beautiful moorland hills. You can get into Bowland by driving 15 minutes up the B6245 from our new Blackburn homes.
To the south, you’ll find the West Pennine Moors: 230 square kilometres of wild moorland perfect for walks and day trips. Hikes are available up to the viewpoint at Jubilee Tower, while there are several reservoir loops great for dog walking. There are several country parks around the Moors, including Smithills and the Seven Acres Country Park, excellent for day trips with the kids or a romantic picnic in the country.
As for day-to-day outdoor activities, several local parks across Blackburn are great for daily walks. A beautiful Victorian Conservatory is available to view at Corporation Park, while Queen’s Park provides a pleasant urban loop close to home. You can visit the local nature reserve at River Darwen Parkway, a wooded area to the south of the town.
On rainy days, you can take your workout to the Blackburn Sports & Leisure Centre, an indoor gym with a sauna and a swimming pool. There’s also a PureGym location in the town centre, as well as a gym at the Witton Park Arena if you’d like to exercise with a view. An ice rink is available at the Planet Ice Blackburn Arena for those who prefer something different.
As for heritage, Blackburn has plenty of it. Roman archaeology is on display at the Ribchester Roman Museum half an hour’s drive away from our new houses in Blackburn, while the Darwen Heritage Centre hosts a small collection of local artefacts and photographs. International heritage is on display at the Blackburn Museum & Art Gallery, where you can view Japanese prints, medieval manuscripts and Egyptian artefacts.
The nearby house and gardens at Samlesbury Hall are available to visit on specified days, showcasing some fantastic 700-year-old architecture. If that doesn’t scratch your itch for history, you can head out of town to view the medieval fort at Hoghton Tower, a 19-minute drive away from Blackburn.
GETTING AROUND
Transport in Blackburn
The A666 to Bolton, a major road leading from the Forest of Bowland into Manchester, cuts right through the middle of Blackburn. Using this route, you can reach Bolton in around 30 minutes and Manchester’s M60 ring road in 40 minutes. Alternative roads are available along the M61 and the A56 in case of heavier traffic.
As for motorways, your new build home in Blackburn has access to the M56, which you can use to reach both Burnley and Preston in 25 minutes. Access to the M6 is 15 minutes’ drive away, providing a direct route up to Carlisle and down to Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham.
The Blackburn Bus Station is located next to the Blackburn Market and the Mall in the town centre, and operates services to destinations such as Sunnybower, Lammack, Higher Croft, Openshaw and Burnley. The station also has a nearby coach stop run by National Express, providing a direct service to London.
The bus stop is a 5-minute walk away from Blackburn Station, a four-platform train station located along the East Lancashire and Ribble Valley lines. As the junction between two lines, Blackburn opens a wide range of destinations to travellers: Rochdale, York, Clitheroe, Colne and Blackpool North can all be accessed by train. The station has a car park and a bike rack available on-site.
Our Blackburn new builds also offer easy access to two major international airports: Manchester Airport and the Liverpool John Lennon Airport, both an hour away by car. As for public transport, you can get to Manchester Airport via direct train from Blackburn Station, while Liverpool requires 1 change along the way.
