A BLACKBURN luxury car specialist is set to gain approval for a new 'statement' car showroom on a key town centre gateway close to the M65 junction 6.

Autolab UK Ltd, which provides customised specialist vehicles for A-list clients including Premier League footballers, is set to be granted planning permission for its £4million development in Carl Fogarty Way, Blackburn.

The firm currently based in Gate Street, which bought the 9,500 square metre Plot 3 off the link road in October 2022, supplies high-end vehicles including Range Rovers and Mercedes 4x4s to celebrity clients including many international sportspeople offering them the chance for their luxury cars to be customised with top of the range interiors, alloys and body kits.

On Thursday next week its planning application for the new complex on the £13million road, named after four-time World Super Bike champion and King of the Jungle Carl Fogarty, will be debated by councillors on Blackburn with Darwen Council's planning and highways committee.

A planning officer's report recommends approval with 23 conditions for the new car showroom with offices, valet garage, landscaping and car parking for staff/visitors and vehicle display.

It says: "The proposed building would form a statement piece of architecture within its immediate setting through the use of an open glazing arrangement to three elevations, a flat roof and modern construction materials, which would all provide a distinctly contemporary design.

"At up to nine metres in height, it would appear as an overtly prominent building.

"That said, large commercial buildings form part of the prevailing character of the area and a similar building has been recently approved at Plot 1.

"The Grade II listed Imperial Mill is positioned in excess of 100 metres to the northwest.

"It is undeniable that the proposals would form a modern and noticeable addition within the street scene. Nevertheless, there is some distance between the application site and the listed building, which also has some visual separation due to the intervening Carl Fogarty Way and Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

"The proposals will cause some harm to the significance of the listed building.

"However, as the historic setting has already been significantly compromised by the surrounding modern changes, the level of harm caused would be slight.

"On that basis, the proposed building would be acceptable.

"A relatively large carpark area would be formed around the building. 138 car sales plots would be provided alongside a further 29 spaces for staff and visitors."

Autolab will make a developer's contribution of £60,000 towards improvements to public transport, cycling and walking routes including improving crossings at the Carl Fogarty Way /A6119 Whitebirk Road (Red Lion) Roundabout.

"The proposals form part of a wider strategic initiative to develop a number of plots along a newly formed link-road.

"They would provide a valuable contribution to the local economy alongside the employment of 10 full-time members of staff."

Carl Fogarty Way is already earmarked to be home to a light industrial/trade counter scheme by Inceptum 2 Management Ltd and a three-storey showroom, warehouse and offices for glass component supplier Rocplas.