ANGRY residents have been assurred that redevelopment could soon be in store for a former nursery building dubbed ‘one of the biggest eyesores in Pendle’.

Neighbours have become increasingly frustrated with the state of the block on Barkerhouse Road, Nelson, which has been vacant for a number of years.

And now young vandals have begun to target the premises, which used to belong to Lancashire County Council but is now understood to be in private hands.

But a senior councillor has informed the Nelson area committee that a covenant on the building is in the process of being removed and a planning application is imminent.

Ted Waddington and a number of residents had lobbied the committee at Nelson Town Hall, amid fears for the safety of intruders at the old nursery.

Mr Waddington said: “The building has become increasingly dangerous, with children getting inside. The police have been called around five times to avoid any injury to those who climb in there through broken windows.

“In the past month the building has been cleared of years of debris and this has been dumped in the grounds.”

Neighbours believed that this had been done in response to ongoing complaints from nearby residents, who describe the site as ‘one of the biggest eyesores in Pendle’.

Coun Mohammed Iqbal, borough Labour group leader and also a county councillor, said: “In terms of what is happening on the site, when the county council sold it they put a covenant on that it could only open again as a nursery, or the owner would have to pay tens of thousands of pounds.

“Thankfully, negotations have now been completed and that matter has been resolved and there will be a planning application.”