A former commercial office building is set to be transformed into flats.

Grant McEwan, of Perfect Properties Ltd, applied to Pendle Council in January seeking prior approval to transform part of the Colne Commercial Centre in Exchange Street into 14 flats.

The building has been vacant for at least three months, but before that was used for a range of services including food and drink, office premises and a creche and day nursery.

The application form states: “The change of use from commercial to residential will reduce the demand on parking.

“The building is located in the town centre adjacent to a public car park.

“The sustainable location requires that no off-site parking provision is necessary.

“The change of use of the ground floor will have no impact upon the character or the sustainability of the conservation area.

“The building has been under-utilised for a prolonged period and the change of use will bring residents into the town centre who will use the local shops and other facilities.

“The development is acceptable with regard to highways, noise, contamination, flood risk, impact on the conservation area and natural light to habitable rooms.”

The building has had prior approval for flats granted in the past, in 2018 and 2019, including on the upper and lower half of the building.

No objections were raised, and Colne Town Council welcomed the application to bring the building back into use.

A report to the planning committee noted that the location of the building would raise no noise impact issues, and adequate noise insulation between dwellings would be controlled by the building regulations.

Prior approval for the development was granted on March 19.