BLUEPRINTS have been advanced to brighten up one of Blackburn’s oldest surviving retail parades.

In late-Victorian times a tea seller, a hay dealer, druggist, jeweller and drysalter all occupied parts of Lord Street West.

But latterly the imposing premises, built between 1878 and 1882, have had mixed fortunes, with Community Clothing being based there until recently, and the Prism Contemporary Gallery showcasing student work there now.

An application has now been made on behalf of Blackburn College to revive the period timber construction facade.

Works included in the design brief cover the creation of a new ginnel, to the rear of 18-20 Lord Street West, relocating a rear access door, creating a new doorway to replace a blocked-up window, a new accessible toilet, and the establishment of a fire escape route, via internal alterations.

Remedial works to the front elevations of the premises, which form part of the Northgate Conservation Area, such as cleaning and masonry repairs, and timber doors and windows refurbished, are also envisaged.

Planning agent Andrew Davies said: “The conservation works are being undertaken as part of the Blakey Moor Townscape Heritage Initiative, a council-led scheme supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

“It will conserve the historic qualities of numbers 14-16 while the alterations at the rear and inside will address fire safety and disabled access issues.”

He says that the adjoining sections represent “one of the distinctive Victorian façades” of the old town centre, bridging the gap between earlier Georgian warehousing and later Edwardian shopfronts.

Restoration of the former Ribblesdale Hotel, later known as Baroque, has now been completed, as part of the £3.8million heritage project.