A PROPERTY developer has snapped up a Grade II-listed police station -- and could be set to turn it into Blackburn's first town-centre hotel.

The move was revealed by chartered surveyors, who sold the Northgate building for Lancashire Constabulary.

But they would not disclose the identity of the new owner, or the price, until the sale was formally concluded at the end of the year.

Alex Taylor, of Blackburn-based Taylor Weaver, said the successful bidder was a property developer with plans to turn the station into a hotel.

The sale means Blackburn with Darwen Council has missed out on buying the station. It caused the building to be put up for sale after making a bid last year, which the police authority turned down in favour of attracting better offers.

It had been claimed that council bosses wanted to buy the building so that any undesirable developments could be blocked.

The council sees the old station as a key part of town centre regeneration.

It wanted to buy the building and sell it on to developers, who met its criteria.

Any re-development of Northgate would have to wait five years until Blackburn Magistrates Court has moved out. A new court building, possibly built on the Preston New Road side of Barbara Castle Way, should be ready by then.

In the meantime, the police part of the building may be refurbished and rented out as offices.

Mr Taylor added: "Solicitors have been instructed now the preferred purchaser has been identified, and the sale should be concluded by the end of the year.

"We cannot say who it is until all the paperwork has been done, but it is a private investor. Initially they cannot do a great deal because of the courts.

"The plans are going to be to refurbish the vacated space left behind by the police which, in the long term, they will develop.

"The developer will possibly go for a hotel once the courts have vacated."

The Northgate building, which has four floors, 15 cells, and a number of offices totalling 52,000sq ft, was vacated in 2003 when police moved to new £7million headquarters at Greenbank, Whitebirk.

Coun Andy Kay, the council's executive member for regeneration, said: "We are very pleased that a private developer is keen to invest in our town centre and we will be very happy to work closely with them to redevelop this very important building.

"A hotel would be in line with our regeneration strategy, but we would not be averse to other suitable uses which would help regenerate the town centre."