RESIDENTS have been reassured proposals to convert a pub once home to a £2.4m cannabis farm into seven self-contained flats won’t be changed to bedsits.

Proposals to do up the old Hindle Arms pub in Rakes Bridge, Lower Darwen, which closed in 2012, were approved by Blackburn with Darwen Council’s planning and highways committee.

Developer Matthew Jackson told members a cannabis farm set up in the pub discovered by police had been producing £800,000 worth of cannabis and was operating for about three years before being shut down.

Concerns had been raised Mr Jackson could get permission for flats and then apply for a change of use to bedsits.

He had originally applied for permission to turn the building into a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) but withdrew the application after being told by planners it would be supported.

And the council's planning manager Gavin Prescott told members it would not be possible for Mr Jackson to get permission for bedsits because change of use only applied to smaller buildings and would result in enforcement action being taken.

He said: "It is recognised that the property has been attracting anti-social behaviour for a long period of time and that is affecting the local community.

"For a belt and braces approach, conditions could be imposed restricting the building to the use which has been applied for."

Mr Jackson said: "The people using this building as a cannabis farm were clearly hardcore criminals and no-one noticed.

"When I first went to see the building, the site I was met with was atrocious. There were full bottles of urine, used syringes and rats everywhere.

"Despite that, I saw what this building could become. It needs money and hard work but also vision and commitment.

"Going forward, hopefully what was once a a busy, integral building which played a key role in the community for years can be restored."

The pub closed in 2012 and was raided by police in December 2015 when a cannabis farm was uncovered.

Since then, the pub has remained boarded up and unoccupied.

Revised plans were submitted to create seven standalone flats by converting the former pub after council planners told developers the bedsit plan would likely be knocked back.

Leader of the Conservative group, Cllr John Slater, asked for a decision to be deferred because he felt the impact on road safety had not been properly assessed.

He added: "I have major concerns. We had a meeting with residents and it is not addressed in the report about the traffic.

"It is on a bend and Stopes Brow is one of the worst roads in the borough in terms of incidents.

"I am not saying we are against this development but I want assurances for residents."

Mr Prescott said because the proposal was to use existing access and the building had previously been used for commercial purposes, it was felt a highways assessment was not necessary.

Cllr Phil Riley said: "The previous application for the HMO was not supported by anyone. It is good that the applicant took that advice on board and has come back with a much more acceptable plan which will bring a derelict pub back into use.

"We have got an application which is taking an eyesore building and turning it into something reasonable which will help to support people in Blackburn with Darwen who want to live in flats."