TWO Darwen businesses looking to expand are doing deals with the council to buy their current premises.

Multevo, formerly known as Multihog, occupies premises at Charles St which they rent from Blackburn with Darwen Council.

The company has expanded and is looking at long term options for its business premises.

Multevo, a commercial and industrial equipment supplier, has approached the council and expressed a desire to purchase the freehold interest of the premises it occupies and additional adjacent land to allow growth without leaving the borough.

And 1st Choice Fitted Bedrooms, which is based at Springvale Business Park, is in a similar boat.

The company has expanded and is looking at long term options for their business premises.

Bosses have approached the council and expressed a desire to purchase the freehold interest of the premises they occupy at unit A and additional adjoining units B and C to allow continued future growth without leaving the borough. The current leases would transfer in current form upon disposal of the freehold with 1st Choice inheriting landlords’ responsibilities as detailed in the

individual leases.

Proposals to dispose of both premises were approved by Blackburn with Darwen Council executive member for growth and development, Cllr Phil Riley.

He said: "The proposed sale of the Multevo site would encourage the company’s continued expansion within the borough and

protect existing jobs as well as helping to create conditions that would encourage the creation of additional opportunities. "Negotiations have been conducted and terms have been provisionally agreed.

"1st Choice is currently holding over from a lease which expired in January 2019.

"The firm has expanded in recent years but needs to further expand and is currently considering its future options.

"The options available include extending within the current site. However, the firm is reluctant to incur the expenditure required unless they hold the freehold.

"They have also considered sale of their privately owned premises and re-location of the business elsewhere including outside of the borough.

"Prior to 1st Choice taking occupation by way of a lease, the premises known as unit A were empty for a long period.

"The location of the site has historically impacted on the ability to let the premises as they are in a periphery location with access to nearest motorway networks being approximately four miles via Darwen town centre."

Cllr Riley added the proposal would safeguard 15 jobs at the Multevo site and a further 20 at 1st Choice.