PLANS to build a luxury residential home for the elderly in Oswaldtwistle have been revealed.

Care provider Rochcare Ltd wants to build a 50-bedroom home on the site of the old Peel Court care home in Union Road.

The land had previously been earmarked for both parking spaces and homes but no work has started.

The director of the Rochdale-based company, Athar Mahmood, said: “The home will be built to a very high standard and will be a similar size to our other homes.

“The site is in an ideal location in the heart of the community. It fits in with our other homes and we see Oswaldtwistle as having great potential too.

“If everything goes through smoothly, then [work will begin] some time next year.”

The building would be constructed of brick and render, slate tiled and fitted with aluminium doors and windows.

A car park would fit 15 cars, three motorbikes, three disabled spaces and six cycle spaces.

Five full-time and eight part-time staff would be employed at the site, the family-run company’s application form read.

St Andrews councillor and leader of the opposition at Hyndburn Council, Coun Peter Britcliffe said: “My first preference would have been for Lancashire County Council to have never sold the land and to have turned it into car parking spaces for the town.

“But they didn’t so I’m delighted the site will be developed because it is a blight in the centre of Oswaldtwistle.

“Because it’s a very busy area there needs to be sufficient parking and I have concerns about the number of spaces.

"If there is going to be 13 staff and 50 rooms it would suggest to me there’s a need for more parking than that.

“I will be asking the planning officers to discuss the provision of parking very carefully with the developers.”

Rochcare Ltd operates four other homes, in Royton, Burnley and Chorley, and has another in the pipeline in St Helens.