AMENDED plans to convert a grade-II listed church into apartments have been unveiled.

Proposals have been submitted to Hyndburn Council asking planners to consider changes to a previous application to convert the old Cannon Street Baptist Church in Cannon Street, Accrington.

Plans first lodged in 2016 to facilitate conversion of the church into one four-bed bed apartment, nine two-bed apartments, one one-bed apartment, and nine bedsits with swimming pool and storage space to the basement were approved.

The church dates back to 1872 but was closed as a place of worship in 2006 and now is classed as “partly derelict”.

Developers want to increase the parking area to make the apartments more attractive to potential buyers.

And a raft of changes have been submitted in a bid to increase the proposed number of spaces from 10 to 17.

A spokesman for the developers said: "The last use of the site was a church which ended in 2006 and has been vacant since.

"This long period of vacancy has caused the site to fall into disrepair, with some external windows being boarded up due to vandalism and the site was overgrown for some time.

"The development is a high-quality scheme including a swimming pool and will be costly due to the works required to bring the listed building, which is in disrepair, into use.

"The applicant considers that by extending the car parking area to the east and providing additional spaces it will make the apartments more attractive for sale or rent to the targeted professional market.

"This will ensure the successful lease or sale of the properties and ensure the listed building is brought into use.

In order to accomodate the extra parking space, developers want to move the access point and also move the refuse storage area, as well as demolish the eastern boundary wall and rebuild it further away.

They also want to remodel the front boundary wall to widen one gap to provide for vehicle access and one for pedestrian access.

And they want to reinstate wrought iron railings to the top of the front boundary wall.

The spokesman added: "The proposed development would secure the longevity of the listed building by providing a more workable consent for the developer and future occupiers.

"The importance of this listed church historically is noted in the heritage assessment as it is a prominent feature of the townscape.

"The re-use of the building is a benefit to the borough as it secures the future of the listed building and provides housing in a sustainable location.

"There is a marginal increase in parking numbers as a result and benefits to future residents of the proposal in terms of a high-quality development.

"There is not considered to be any harm to the heritage assets identified from the changes proposed as part of this consent over the extant consents.

"The public benefits of the scheme considerably outweigh any harm that the council may consider there is to the streetscene or the listed building and the proposal should be approved without delay."