A FORMER medical centre is to be turned into a day nursery and creche.

Shabir Patel has been given permission to make the change by Blackburn with Darwen Council.

He can now go ahead with the conversion of the Brookhouse Medical Centre in Whalley Range, Blackburn.

The building previously hosted 11 consulting rooms, a central waiting room, a staff kitchen and a meeting room.

In January Mr Patel had applied for planning permission for the creation of six one-bedroom flats and one two-bedroom flat, all on the ground floor of the centre.

He then withdrew the application and hes now been granted a lawful development certificate for his new scheme.

A report by planning officer Tom Wiggans says: "The application site comprises a single storey building last used as a medical centre, located within the inner urban area of Blackburn, on the south/eastern side of Whalley Range, Blackburn.

"The surrounding area consists of varied uses, including residential immediately to the south.

"The application seeks a Lawful Development Certificate to confirm that the lawful use of the building falls within the newly formed Class E Use Class.

"New regulations created a new broad ‘Commercial, Business and Service’ use class (Class E). This incorporates a number of previous use classes into a single use class.

"The introduction of these changes was to provide greater flexibility between certain uses and provides a more agile planning framework so that high streets and commercial uses can respond to changes in the commercial market.

"This was introduced by the government as a response to the Covid19 pandemic.

"Historic records of the premises demonstrate the last known use to be a medical centre, which now falls within use Class E(e).

"As such, it is clear the lawful use of the premises of the property can benefit from the new use Class E.

"Class E includes the potential use of the premises as a Day Nursery/ creche use under Class E (f).

"Sufficient evidence is adequately has been provided and is available to support the use of the premises falls within use Class E.

"This applies to both the present medical centre use under Class E(e), and the potential future use as a day nursery/ creche."

In March 2021 it was thought that the surgery could be turned into a residential complex care centre by Courtyard Care, creating up to 25 new full-time jobs and providing residential care for six young children with complex health needs.