Petitions war breaks out over use of Lancashire college building
A petitions war has broken out over a backdated proposal to use a former educational building owned by the Issa Foundation for functions and events. In September Inara Events Ltd, which leases the former St Mary’s College in Shear Brow from the billionaire Blackburn brothers’ charity, submitted a retrospective planning application to regularise the new use of the site to Blackburn with Darwen Council.
In August the authority served a temporary stop notice on both Inara and the foundation after complaints from residents living in the area about excessive noise and dangerous parking outside the venue. The enforcement notice said they did not have the necessary planning permission for the use of the assembly and lecture halls as a private hire function hall.
The college closed as an education establishment in 2022 before being bought by the Issas. Following the planning application being lodged so that events and functions can run at the site again there was a public meeting attended by more than 100 people in Revidge Fold Church where local residents expressed their concerns over the proposal.
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Now four petitions have been submitted to Blackburn with Darwen Council concerning the application – three against with a total of 185 signatures and one in favour with 49. Details of the documents have been given in a report to members of the borough’s planning and highways committee in an officer’s report.
It says: “A retrospective planning application for change of use of former St Mary’s College assembly/lecture hall to a private hire function hall (two rooms) was received and registered on September 11. A petition containing 49 individual names was received on October 11
“The petition set out the signatories’ support for the planning application on the following grounds: ‘I believe the submission proposal would provide a use that is much needed whilst proposing measures to protect local amenity and local highways network’. Three petitions containing 137, 30 and 18 (185 total) individual names were received between October 7 and 9.
“It should be noted that whilst there are three petitions, some individual signatories have signed all three petitions. All three of the petitions set out the signatories objection to the planning application on the following grounds:
“• increased traffic, causing congestion on the highways and blocking residents’ driveways;
“• noise pollution and air quality control issues from additional traffic use of Shear Brow; and
“• late night disturbances from celebrations overflowing from the hall onto the frontage facing Shear Brow, disrupting the residential setting of the community.
“Members are advised that the planning application remains under consideration, and all the issues raised in the petitions will be fully taken into consideration.
The Issa Foundation declined to comment.
A spokeswoman for Inara Events Ltd said: “I believe there have been a number of objections from residents, however the application is still under assessment and we are working proactively with the Local Planning Authority to ensure there is no detrimental impact upon residential amenity or highways safety.”