Plans submitted to rebuild part of former Longridge shop

The application seeks permission for a new commercial unit on Warwick Street, replacing a former retail building at the rear of Swift's Hardware which was damaged by fire in April 2021.

Planning documents state the new building would occupy the same footprint as the previous unit and would be used for Class E commercial purposes, a category which includes shops, offices, and other business uses.

Warwick Street, Longridge (Image: Judith Douglas Town Planning Ltd)

The proposed single-storey building would front onto Warwick Street and include a shopfront facing the road.

It would be constructed using profiled steel cladding, with bin storage provided within the existing yard area.

The site sits within the Longridge Conservation Area, close to other commercial premises including shops, a takeaway and employment units.

Planning consultants acting for the applicant say the vacant site currently creates a gap in the street scene and that bringing it back into use would improve the appearance of the area.

According to the planning statement, the replacement building would be similar in size and appearance to the one lost in the fire and would help restore the existing street frontage.

The applicant argues the proposal would preserve the character of the conservation area while providing additional commercial floorspace in a sustainable town centre location.

The statement adds that the site was last used for retail purposes and that the development would make a "small but positive contribution" to the supply of commercial premises in the borough.

The application says existing access arrangements would remain unchanged, with deliveries and waste collection continuing to use the existing yard area serving the wider site.