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First look at new Blackburn town centre apartments plan
1:33pm Wednesday 21st May 2008
By Tom Moseley »
PLANS have been unveiled for a five-storey block of apartments with a snooker club on the ground floor in Blackburn town centre.
Developers want to demolish the building containing Riley's snooker club in Mincing Lane and rebuild it, creating 28 apartments and an underground car park.
An artist's impression of the new building, which will have a corner made of glass on the junction with Mill Lane, has been produced, and a planning application lodged with Blackburn with Darwen council.
If it gets the go-ahead the snooker hall would be moved to a temporary location until the new version is built.
The building, a former picture house and roller skating rink, used to be known as New Central Hall. It has been leased by Riley's since 2000.
It is owned by Norley Developments, the firm that has lodged the planning application.
Martin Wilson, of Preston-based project designers MCK Partnership, said the project would contribute to the regeneration taking place in Blackburn town centre.
He said: "It's all about upgrading the town centre.
"The building as it is doesn't offer any life to the street, and snooker clubs historically are dark and dingy places.
"This will be a fairly striking building and the snooker club will be more like a cafe or bar - you will be able to see inside from the street."
Fears have been raised about the housing market because of the current financial downturn. And councillors recently claimed too many flats were being built in Blackburn, But Mr Wilson added: "They won't be luxury flats.
"We're not pricing people out of the market.
"When we first started this project flats were flavour of the month.
"This development will take some time and who knows what the market will be like then.
"Big towns will always need apartments."
A final decision on the application will be taken by the council's planning committee in the next few months.
Your Say YourTelegraph
Johnnyboy, Blackburn says...
11:39pm Mon 26 May 08
ex, resident wrote:re:Bryant homes lockmill development,
Johnnyboy wrote: More positive news for the town centre, what the councillors need to look at is the detail in the design and learn from their mistakes in passing that dreadful lockmill development at Ewood.i agree who ever agreed to the plans for that eyesore to be built should be shot, i always thought if you wanted to build something it had to blend in with the surounding area this building looks totaly out of place its not even made of the same brick work as other buildings round there its a sight for sore eyes come on blackburn council get your act together,
An awful cream tile with a cheap reddish brick missmatched with a grey undercoat finish, built on top of a main road with clostrophobic sized flats barely big enough to keep two rabbits all for an extortionate price plus expensive yearly maintenance building costs.
Who are these councilors who sanctioned this dreadful development there certainly not the brightest on the block are they.
egroeg, says...
7:03pm Sun 25 May 08
Alain Robeduex wrote:were not on about jimmy whites its about rileys on mincing lane two totaly difrent snooker clubs
Stew - a long time ago John's was formerly Jimmy White's.
ex, resident, blackburn says...
6:59pm Sun 25 May 08
Johnnyboy wrote:i agree who ever agreed to the plans for that eyesore to be built should be shot, i always thought if you wanted to build something it had to blend in with the surounding area this building looks totaly out of place its not even made of the same brick work as other buildings round there its a sight for sore eyes come on blackburn council get your act together,
More positive news for the town centre, what the councillors need to look at is the detail in the design and learn from their mistakes in passing that dreadful lockmill development at Ewood.
Johnnyboy, Beautiful Blackburn says...
7:31pm Thu 22 May 08
Tony B, says...
4:01pm Wed 21 May 08
Shame to see it going as it is a memorial to the old days but things have to progress.
Does anyone else have good recollections of the days when Blackburn had 14 cinemas and a theatre??
A favourite of mine was the Roxy where they had double seats at the back and you could snuggle up to a young lady who you shyly asked out for a date but said you'd meet her inside because you could'nt afford the cost of 2 tickets!!
Alain Robeduex, says...
3:04pm Wed 21 May 08
stew g, blackburn says...
3:00pm Wed 21 May 08
Alain Robeduex, says...
1:57pm Wed 21 May 08
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SB, Blackburn says...
12:27am Sat 31 May 08
ss on the outskirts of Blackburn - but the first impression to visitors coming off the motorway? Perhaps some forward thinking councillor would think out of the box and consider us on the outskirts that would benefit from some regeneration packages instead of getting kicked in the teeth all the time!