PROPOSALS for two new restaurants in a historic row of town centre buildings have been hailed as ‘fantastic’ and ‘a great asset to the borough’.

The praise came from Labour’s Cllr Suleman Khonat and Liberal Democrat Paul Browne as Blackburn with Darwen planners approved the scheme.

The project for Blakey Moor is part of a £3.8m town centre heritage refurbishment of the area near King George’s Hall. It will create two units with character frontages for restaurants or cafe/bars with outdoor seating areas in a courtyard at the rear.

The work forms a key part of the next stage of the Blakey Moor Townscape Heritage project, part-financed by the National Lottery, to transform Northgate into a leisure quarter of cafes, coffee houses and bars.

Cllr Khonat said: “This is fantastic.”

Cllr Browne said: “I am really chuffed. This scheme will be a great asset to the borough.”

Borough regeneration boss Cllr Phil Riley said: “This is a very happy moment which has taken a long time.”

Conservative Cllr Paul Marrow said: “I am glad this scheme is moving forward. It should be good for the town.”