NEW questions have been raised about the borough’s plans to demolish and redevelop Darwen Three-Day Market.

Tory councillor Imtiaz Ali has warned any proposals may have to be approved by the government because the 50-year-old building is in the town centre conservation area.

MORE TOP STORIES:

He has asked Blackburn with Darwen regeneration boss, Cllr Phil Riley, to ensure the complex planning process required by the heritage status of its surroundings required is fully followed.

Cllr Ali is backed by Whitehall ward’s, Cllr David Foster, who has sought an assurance any redevelopment will be ‘better than what we have at the moment’.

Cllr Riley said he was confident both borough officials would correctly follow all necessary procedures and the redevelopment would improve on the current building.

Cllr Ali, a member of the borough planning committee, said: “As the market building is in the conservation area this is a very complex legal process with specific procedures which must be properly followed.

“I understand any final decision has to go to the Government Office for the North West.

“This is because it is in the Darwen Town Centre Conservation Area and because the council itself will be applicant, so the planning committee cannot make the final decision because of a potential conflict of interest.

“The borough’s local plan specifies any such development will only be permitted in very exceptional circumstances.

“Those include that the nature of the heritage assets prevent all reasonable uses of the site; and conservation by grant funding or some form of charitable or public ownership is not possible.

“In addition the Local Plan says ‘Consent will not be granted for demolition, until an acceptable redevelopment scheme has been approved and a contract has been let’.

“If we do not abide by these provisions, we risk legal challenges.”

Cllr Foster said: “These are important questions but the key is whether any replacement will be better than what we have now.”

Cllr Riley said: “We have experienced officers who have dealt with these issues in other contexts, such as the demolition of the old Blackburn Market and Waves, before.”

“I am confident they will navigate their way through the necessary procedures correctly.

“We will have a full plan to redevelop the site when have completed consultations with the people of Darwen.

“I would say the presumption is that anything would be better than what we have with the Three Day Market.”