A LOCAL authority got £3.75million to restore a historic Grade II listed former church destroyed by a fire in April 2019.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has agreed the sum with the insurers of St John’s Church in Victoria Street in Blackburn town centre.

The authority will now go out to tender for a restoration scheme, borough regeneration boss Cllr Phil Riley said.

But he refused to guarantee it would be returned to its former use as the base for the Bureau Centre for the Arts now in ‘Daniel’s’, Thwaites’ old visitor centre on Penny Street.

The details of the insurance settlement were given at Blackburn with Darwen Council’s executive board by finance boss Cllr Vicky McGurk.

She also revealed that the council has spent £1.47million as its 49 per cent share of buying the cleared former Thwaites Brewery site on Penny Street as part of a joint venture with Maple Grove Developments Ltd.

The council also spent £200,000 purchasing the nearby Fleece Inn.

Cllr McGurk told the executive board meeting: “The former St John’s church was severely damaged by a fire that occurred on Wednesday April 3 2019.

“Prior to the fire the space was used for pop up events, which became a permanent art space and was run by a Community Interest Company.

“Several feasibility and factual survey reports have been completed to assess building condition and design opportunities to inform the council on next steps.

“The building was insured under the council’s corporate property policy, provided by Zurich.

“Although the full reinstatement value of the church building was insured for £4,650,000 the council understood the final settlement would be below this figure given there are large parts of the building which were undamaged by the fire including the bell tower.

“Following detailed discussions a gross settlement figure of £3,750,212.90 is recommended for acceptance by the council.”

Cllr Riley said: “We will now go out to tender for a scheme to restore St John’s.

“There are no guarantees that it will be returned to its previous use. We will be looking at the best way to make the most of it.”

Livesey with Pleasington Conservative and Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Cllr Derek Hardman said: “This is welcome news. What is important is that this historic building in the centre of Blackburn is fully restored.”