Former nursery in Darwen could be repurposed as flats

The former Abacus Day Nursery, on the intersection of Greenway Street and Snape Street, has stood empty since around 2007, when the business closed its doors after serving nearby Hollins Grove and Sunnyhurst since the 1980s.

In the time since it closed, people living on the street said that the building has been broken into a number of times and now lies boarded up, following failed attempts over the years to find another business purpose for the large property.

But following a sale in April, where the building sold for £75,000, an application has been submitted to Blackburn with Darwen Council that could change the use of the former nursery to a residential one.

Nearby residents said the building had been broken into multiple times (Image: Will Morgan)

The Greenway Street building is split over four levels, with a lower ground floor that was previously used as a garage.

Under the submitted plans, this area would be turned into a bin and cycle store, as well as a general storage area for the flats above.

On the ground floor, the new owner is looking to create two small to medium-sized one-bed flats with en-suites.

There is a similar layout on the first floor, except the fourth flat extends onto the second floor, which has a balcony and staircase leading to a small outside space on top of the potential future bin store.

As part of their application to convert the building into four flats, the new owner has said they will install new life-for-like PVC windows, while also restoring the metal fencing and staircase in this outside space.

On the application form, the owner says these prospective flats would be normal market-rate properties.