A SCHEME to bring one of East Lancashire's oldest buildings back to life as a restaurant, offices and apartments has been resurrected.

Plans have now been submitted to Hyndburn Council to transform the former Conservative Club in Canon Street, Accrington, and restore part of its historic facade.

North West developers Axicon Ltd tried to get permission for the scheme earlier in the year, but the council deemed the plans as 'inadequate.'

Now new details have been submitted to the council, which set out how the Grade Two listed building which was once the largest Conservative club in the country, would be modernised -- while keeping its traditional look.

Today the chair of the Accrington Civic Society welcomed the plans for the building, which was Churchill's nightclub until the venue closed last year.

Alan Benson said: "I would think that anything which is done to preserve the structure of the building and the facade would be welcomed.

"Obviously it's quite a large undertaking and a expensive business I would imagine."

If the scheme is passed by the council's planning committee at a meeting next Wednesday, work must begin within the next five years.

When a planning application was first considered in June the idea was described as 'the icing on the cake' for regenerating the area by town leaders.

Now the altered plans will see the building's basement used as a restaurant, the ground floor as offices, and the upper floors - still in their original condition as a ballroom - would be converted into flats.

The developers hope to keep much of the former Majestic Ballroom's features, including large windows and ornate ceiling, and build them into the flats.

The rear of the building will be improved, with shutters being removed and window's re-opened.

In a document to be debated at next week's meeting, council planners say the use is 'appropriate' to the area, and "the scheme as a whole would provide living, working and an evening use that together would assist in supporting town centre regeneration."

Mr Benson said: "The Majestic Ballroom was the social point of Accrington. Everyone used to go to Accrington Conservative Club to dance in the ballroom.

"The police ball was there, the farmers ball, Accrington Cricket Club, everybody had there annual dances there. There's a terrific history to the building."