Vacant Darwen church can be knocked down for new shop

The 136-year-old Bolton Road United Reformed Church in Darwen closed in October 2019 because of falling congregations and financial problems.

Thistlewood Properties Ltd had submitted a planning application to knock down the building at the corners of Bolton Road with Ashleigh Street and Northcote Street and its replacement with a single-storey shop.

On Thursday evening Blackburn with Darwen Council’s planning and highways committee approved the former church’s demolition and replacement with a convenience store with 14 parking spaces.

But the proposal sparked concerns from bus driver and 4BwD planning spokesman Cllr Sajid Ali and his Tory counterpart Cllr Paul Marrow over the safety of heavy goods vehicles delivering to the shop.

Borough planning manager Gavin Prescott recommended the committee approve the scheme despite the highways department describing the access for lorries from Ashleigh Street as ‘sub-optimal’ and the 26 public objections.

They cited concerns including an unreliable retail impact assessment which under-states the significance if its effect on nearby local centres; a lack of need for new convenience goods floorspace; and an inadequate assessment of development at the former Swan Public House in Bolton Road for which planning has been granted but not implemented.

Mr Prescott’s report to the meeting said: “Assessment of the application finds that the proposal would deliver a high-quality retail development with dedicated on-plot parking provision, which will assist in widening the retail offer in the borough.

“This is in accordance with the council’s strategic aims and objectives for economic growth and expansion of public facilities and services, without prejudice to existing retail provision in the borough’s retail centres.

“The proposed building would be single storey comprising 325 square metres floorspace.

“It would feature stone walls to three elevations, including the frontage to Bolton Road, together with feature cladding.

“The existing building at the site is inconsistent with the prevailing characteristics, as a brick construction with a flat roof.

“The proposed replacement building would broadly reinforce local character through consistent scale and mass, and stone with render elevations. The front of the building facing the car park would feature glazed panels defining the entrance.”

Cllr Ali said he was concerned at the impact of lorries manoeuvring on what was a busy main bus route and abstained in the vote while Cllr Marrow, who voted against approval, expressed concern about the impact of overflow parking from the store on local streets.

But Blackburn with Darwen Council growth boss Cllr Quesir Mahmood said: “It great to see the site being brought back into use.”

His Ewood ward Labour colleague Cllr Jim Casey said; “This will be an asset to the community in the area.”