THE former Accrington police station and magistrates court building is to go up for auction later this month.

The grade II listed building at the junction of Manchester Road and Spring Gardens on the edge of Accrington town centre is being listed for auction by Pugh Auctions.

It was previously jointly used as a magistrates court and police station by the Accrington division of Lancashire Police.

The building is listed to go up for auction at the Barton Lounge in the AJ Bell stadium in Salford on Tuesday February 20 from noon, and the item is listed as lot 008.

It has a ‘guide fee’ of £250,000 ahead of the auction.

Cllr Miles Parkinson, leader of Hyndburn Council, compared the site to the former Accrington fire station and praised the work being done their to turn that into a warehouse for Totally Wicked.

He said he hopes whoever buys the ‘prominent’ Manchester Road site will come up with plans to benefit the area.

He said: “It’s taken some time for the old fire station but the investment being brought in will be a credit to the building.

“We’re very pleased with what is occurring there.Whoever purchases the former police station and magistrates court must be fully aware of the importance of the old building.

“Whatever plans are submitted for the site I will be closely scrutinising them, along with other councillors, because of its prominence.”

The sited is being listed by Pugh Auctions on behalf of Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner;s office.

The specification for the auction said: “A freehold grade II listed detached two storey (plus basement) former police station and courts building with development potential subject to receiving the necessary consents.”

The building has been empty for a number of year since the previous tenants left the premises.

Accrington police moved from the site in September 2016 to a new £500,000 home in Broadway after discovering it would become ‘too costly’ to upgrade the old site.

A spokesman for the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire said: “The decision to sell this site was made in 2015 as it was no longer fit for purpose and would have been too costly to upgrade to an acceptable standard.

“As part of the commissioner’s commitment to providing visible policing, the new policing base on Broadway which opened in 2016 provides an accessible, fit for purpose base for the local policing team in the heart of Accrington town centre.”

This came after in July 2015 plans were announced to close Accrington Magistrates Court as part of cost cutting measure.