Bisected from Blackburn by the M65, Darwen has a population of around 30,000 people.  Despite losing many of its Victorian houses, and despite the earmarked destruction of many more, Darwen remains essentially a town of Victorian abodes.  The town is expanding with several new housing estates being built.  Some of these estates, although pleasant enough, are in the less desirable neighbourhoods of Darwen.  But most of the new build are very reasonably priced.  In fact Darwen is something of a little known gem.  It surprises me that people aren't flocking to live here.  It is conveniently close to the M65, with the M6 about 15 minutes away.  Bolton is 15 minutes to the South, Preston 30 minutes to the West, Manchester 50 minutes to the South, and a train service from Darwen to Manchester runs from the town centre.  Darwen has a Sainsburys and a market (under development), plus an assortment of smaller shops.  There are also lots of takeways (a few very good ones too!), a couple of decent restaurants (Thai, Chinese and Italian), and a couple of cafes where you can sit outside.  Although bizarrely, one of them only allows smokers to sit outside!

The town has some really nice areas and streets (Jacks Key, Pole Lane, Priory Drive, Sunnyhurst Lane, Earnsdale Road, Limes Avenue, Cranberry Lane, Park Road to name a few) and some really grotty ones, where foul mouthed youths with their pit bull type animals roam.  There are two beautiful parks in Darwen: Bold Venture and Whitehall.  Bold Venture has some great streets around it, but is closer to the grotty areas of Darwen and attracts louts.  Whitehall Park is located in the premier area of Darwen, and is quiet and civilised.  For the more adventurous, there is Sunnyhurst woods, and the Darwen Tower and moor.

The town is about to get a new City Academy (if the politicians can stop arguing about it); it has an excellent health centre, a good library/theatre, there is good town centre parking, and excellent bus services.

In my view, the best place to live is in Whitehall; specifically the area adjacent to Whitehall Park.  There are no marauding yobs, there is no threat of flood from the river Darwen, the houses are tidy and streets very clean.  Kids leave their toys in front gardens, and nobody steals them!.  There is easy access to the moors and bus services, all in all, a very pleasant place to live.  The cost of houses is perhaps 20% more expensive than other parts of Darwen, but 'you pays your money, you takes your choice'.