3 day Market demolition faces final hurdle

Despite the fact that Labour controlled Blackburn with Darwen Council have decided to demolish Darwen's 3 day market, they face a final hurdle.

The Council has to get planning permission for demolition. As the market is in a Conservation Area there are much tighter rules governing planning permission. The Council's recently adopted Local Plan says:

"Consent will not be granted for demolition until an acceptable redevelopment scheme has been approved and there is evidence that a contract has been let for the full implementation of the scheme."

Lib Dem Leader Councillor David Foster,"This means that the Council will have to have a fully developed scheme, with funding in place before permission can be granted. This is what we have been asking for all along, that the Council shows local people what the laternative is and then they can decide if it is better than what we have now. The Local Plan clealry says that is what they have to decide. Let's hope the Planning Committee is vigilant at upholding this condition."