A FORMER historic public swimming baths, which was adapted into a church and a community centre, could be demolished and turned into a 'training centre' and flats.

Spacious Place Development Ltd has lodged planes to redevelop the former Gannow Baths and Life Church site in Sycamore Avenue, Burnley.

The proposals include two development phases, with the first including refurbishing the main hall of the former baths for the potential use of a training centre and build three, two story houses.

The second phase will demolish the existing former Life Church building and build two more two-storey houses and a three storey apartment block which will house 12 flats.

For the best part of a decade the building, which dates back 115 years, was used by the Life Church in Burnley.

The pool, on the banks of the Leeds Liverpool Canal, was closed by the borough council in 2004 after leisure bosses insisted that it was being run at a significant loss.

Objections to the closure were made from the Burnley Civic Society and residents, a protest was held outside the baths.

The construction of the baths was carried out under the supervision of the borough surveyor Mr G H Pickles at a final cost of £8000.

Within a planning document, a spokesman on behalf of the applicant said: "Unfortunately the Gannow Baths have undergone a considerable amount of alteration, both prior to its closure in 2004, and following its adaptation as a church and youth community centre.

"What remains has some evidential, historic, aesthetic and communal value which has been eroded through modern alterations and general decline.

"At present the building is vacant, has been the target of vandals and its condition is rapidly deteriorating.

"The demolition will result in a high adverse impact on a structure of low significance, due to the loss of historic fabric, potential fabric and the total loss of a distinctive structure in the local landscape with connections to the industrial past of the area."

An application was made to the council in 2007 to demolish the baths and build houses with the aim of raising funds for the construction of the new church.

The plans were approved but the application lapsed after five years when no building action was taken.

The spokesman said: "The proposed terraced houses are a contemporary re-imagining of the traditional housing stock in the area and are acceptable in terms of design, scale and massing.

"Overall, the new buildings will provide much needed housing to the area and will bring life back to this underused site.

"The design has been partially successful in matching the character of the area."