A FIRM hopes to create new jobs with plans to expand at the site of a former social club.

Great Harwood Plumbing Merchants wants to build a new premises at the old Grand Club in Blackburn Road in the town.

The site is vacant following the demolition of the club, which was gutted by a fire in 2014.

Owner and applicant Simon Duxbury said the plumbing supply store has continued to develop since he purchased it in 2008.

He said the business, currently based in St. Huberts Road, has reached the point in which it requires further staff and more space to store products.

The proposal would see the business move and a new building built to accommodate all the necessary floor space for a new plumbing centre.

Mr Duxbury said: "I have been the owner of Great Harwood Plumbing Merchants since 2008, however, the business has been operating for approximately 20 years prior to my purchase.

"Since my purchase the business has continued to develop and we now have three employees, with one being my son who manages the business.

"The business has reached the point in which we require further staff and more space to store products, in order to keep up with customer demand.

"However, we do not have the space for either of these necessities.

"These difficulties have also meant that my son has only been able to take one holiday in the past eight years due to not having the space to employ further staff, which would help my son to manage his workload.

"Our current operating hours are 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 12 noon on a Saturday. "In terms of the number of vehicles attending the business each day , it is estimated that we have approximately six deliveries from external suppliers daily.

"It is difficult to establish the number of customer vehicles that attend the business as this can vary from day to day.

"We also own one business van which is used for deliveries."

Mr Duxbury said the aim in moving the business is to ensure that they have enough space to continue to expand.

He added: "It's also to provide further job opportunities as well as developing business and customer relations in Great Harwood."

Netherton ward councillor on Hyndburn Council, Cllr Noordad Aziz, welcomed the plans.

He said: "The social club was already in a bad condition before the fire damaged it so badly that it had to be demolished then.

"It was used as the old cinema previously before it was a social club.

"This development would bring an eyesore back into use and create employment."