A nursery which abruptly closed its doors in August is to be turned into a residential home after change of use permission was granted by the council.

Rainbow House Nursery in Agnes Street in Blackburn closed its doors on August 5, with parents of children attending the establishment only informed of the decision that same afternoon.

Kelly Ainsworth’s one-year-old daughter had been attending the nursery for around nine months and when she went to pick her up on Friday August 5, having not checked her emails due to her being at work, to her shock, she was told at the door that the facility, ran by Welcome Nurseries, was closing that day.

An email was sent to parents and staff on that Friday afternoon, when they were told that due to a “restructure” they would “not be able to move forward with the nursery" and that it was closing later that day.

Welcome Nurseries, which is the UK’s fourth largest nursery group, announced a management buyout earlier this year, being backed by a private investor.

In November, Abu Sufyaan Ali lodged an application with Blackburn with Darwen Council asking to change the building’s use from a nursery to a five-bedroom house with space for 14 cars.

No objections were received, and the application was approved on December 21.

It is believed Rainbow House was put up for sale following the nursery’s closure, with Taylor Weaver acting as chartered surveyors for the property.

Their website stated that offers in excess of £425,000 were being sought for the building which was being advertised as “children’s nursery opportunity, suitable for alternative use including residential, religious and health, subject to planning permission”.

The Taylor Weaver website also stated that “the property is currently used as a children's nursery although it is understood alternative use would be considered appropriate including residential, leisure, health and religious. Interested parties are recommended to contact the local planning authority to discuss their proposed uses in greater detail”.