A BLACKBURN church which has become an anti-social behaviour hotspot could be converted into a residential care home.

St Andrew’s Church, Livesey Branch Road, has been bought by a developer who is currently creating a 30-place care home on the opposite side of the road.

The owner, London-based Krishnam Satkunam, has now submitted a planning application proposing that the church would cater for 35 elderly people over two floors.

The developer, in the application, says around 10 full time jobs would be created in the area.

St Andrew’s CofE Church, which had been closed for around three years and had been put up for sale by the diocese. In its heyday the church was very popular and had even been used as a polling station by the council.

According to the developers, it will remain the same externally with only minor changes to the outer building.

Internally there would be 35 rooms, 35 en suites, a common area, kitchen, office and laundry room and toilets with disabled facilities.

In the application, architect’s James Campbell Associates Ltd, said: “The whole site suffers from lack of use and the vegetation of the site to the north is very overgrow.

“Empty alcohol cans, bottles and litter have been left and graffiti is visible at the rear of the building.

“The site, in particular the existing church building, is in danger of becoming very run down and has begun to attract anti-social behaviour both during the day and at night creating a site with an intimidating character.

“This is an opportunity to reinvigorate the site and bring the existing building back into use without major disruption to the existing sire and area.”

Ward councillor Brian Gordon said: “There has been some anti-social behaviour in the past. But personally I don’t think a care home is out of order but I believe some residents have lodged objections. Something has got to be found for it.”