THE resubmission of plans to convert part of a grade-II listed building into apartments has been met by warnings from councillors.

Ribble Valley Council has received proposals for the former factory in Primrose Works to be converted to provide 18 residential flats.

The application would involve the demolition of existing workshop buildings on the site, other than the main three-storey element, which would be converted to provide apartments, a cycle/refuse store and parking.

This is in contrast to the original plans submitted last year which called for demolition of the workshop buildings apart from workshop three, but the rest of the plans remained the same.

However Primrose Cllr Allan Knox is wary of potential dangers that the proposed plans could face.

He said: “It’s on a very bad bend, there’s a lot of traffic, it’s a narrow sharp bend that people who don’t know the area would not be expecting.

“I’d be concerned about affordable housing, as this must be offered and I’m not going to support something that doesn’t offer affordable housing.”

The plans, submitted by Lodematic Ltd, would feature the creation of 14 two-bedroom, three one-bedroom and one three-bedroom flats, alongside a 33 space car park and a refuse/store for 18 bikes.

Originally built in 1787 as a spinning mill, the site was converted to a printworks in 1810 and Lodematic ran the site from 1954 before moving to a new site on the Pendle Trading Estate in Chatburn.

Cllr Knox said: “It is better that housing would take place on a brownfield site rather than in green fields, but the core infrastructure must be right.”

“Any developments need to make sure that they offer high way improvements, affordable housing and that they contribute money to improve the Primrose Lodge Biological heritage site on its doorway.”