A GROWING East Lancashire family firm is seeking to upgrade its warehousing.

In May R and J Builders Hardware Ltd was granted planning permission to build a job-creating new office block at its headquarters at Merchant House headquarters in Croft Head Road on Blackburn's Whitebirk Industrial Estate.

Now it is it is proposing to extend and refurbish its warehouse and improve its car park

It has applied to Blackburn with Darwen Council for planning permission for the new works.

R and J Builders Hardware was established in 1969 and is a family owned business currently being managed by the second generation of the founders of the company.

Documents submitted with the application say: "The site currently comprises of a warehouse and associated two storey office accommodation.

"The existing office is a 1970's two storey, brick-built building to the east of the site with the adjacent warehouse located around the north and west of the site primarily used for storage.

"The application proposes the extension to the warehouse to accommodate the growing business with additional storage space and to provide an enhanced link to the new office building as well as the repositioned trade counter.

"The additional floor space formed within the proposed development is approximately 514.5 square metres.

"The warehouse extension will be formed as an infill of the existing office building to be demolished and used as additional storage space.

"This will also create an enhanced link to the new office building with access from the new office link.

"The extension will be a continuation of the existing roof configuring of two bays from the existing warehouse.

"The existing trade counter will also be repositioned in order to enhance the link to the new office building.

"The external envelope of the warehouse extension will be finished in vertical trapezoidal cladding.

"The existing warehouse will be over-cladded in a single profiled sheet in order to match with the new extension and create a cohesive appearance.

"Two new roller shutter doors will also be created within the existing warehouse to provide additional loading bays.

"The application also looks to propose a new car park layout.

"The revised layout demonstrates 43 parking spaces in addition to the approved 15 giving a total of 58."