AN expanding East Lancashire fire safety and security equipment supplier needs more storage space.

It has asked Hyndburn Council for planning permission to for a new building so it can stay in its current location.

Acorn Fire & Security Limited of Waterside House on Trident Park in Trident Way, Rishton, wants to add the prefabricated building in profiled steel cladding to its existing distribution depot and office hub.

A supporting statement with the planning application says that since the manufacturing back log created as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic the firm needs to store far more stock.

This has been worsened by a worldwide shortage of microprocessors.

It says: "Initially, it was envisaged that the above additional stock level requirements would be temporary, until such time as the world markets and manufacturers alike, had caught up with back logs and availability.

"Ongoing monitoring of lead times coupled with close liaison with manufacturers, has proved this very much not to be the case; a few component availability issues being compounded by

two separate fires in manufacturing plants, one in Japan, and one in China

"Our additional stock carrying has grown sales tremendously over the last two years creating six new roles within the business in logistics, sales,and marketing, with all talent drawn from the local area.

"The business now has a serious issue with a lack of available storage space.

"The situation is far from ideal.

"The additional stock hold has further driven an opportunity for an additional two logistics vacancies, which are presently on-hold.

"Previously, planning permission was gained to extend the office building and create further office and storage space, however the impact of the build on the business would thwart operations.

"Searches for alternative facilities over a four-month period found no suitable premises.

"Discussions within the team realised that all members thoroughly enjoyed the area we are presently in.

"In light of the above, we have an immediate requirement for additional equipment storage, on the premises where we are.

"Extending our building will have a project roll-out in the region of six months with hugely negative impact on operations.

"Therefore, we require an extremely quick build schedule with minimum commercial impact, whilst maintaining the look and feel of the present surroundings.

"This can be achieved by a custom made, prefabricated, insulated building, built and designed in sympathy with our existing building, sited on the unused area to the side of the premises."