Blackburn with Darwen Council has taken enforcement action to prevent unauthorised functions and celebration events at a former college building owned by the Issa brothers' charity.

It has told the charitable body, set up by the family of Blackburn billionaire brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa, it does not have the necessary planning permission for the new use, which is therefore unauthorised.

St Mary's College in Shear Brow closed in 2022 as an education establishment before being bought up by the Issas.

The council has taken this action following complaints from residents living in the nearby area about excessive noise and dangerous parking outside the venue.

This came following events at the venue over the weekend.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has served a 'Temporary Stop Notice' on the owners of the site, the Issa Foundation, and the leaseholders of the site, Inara Events Ltd.

The Issa brothers' charity has been served a notice for breaching planning rulesThe Issa brothers' charity has been served a notice for breaching planning rules (Image: NQ)

This notice is for a breach of planning control, with planning permission not being secured for a change of use for the building to allow functions and celebration events to be held there.

The Issa Foundation has declined to comment but the Lancashire Telegraph understands it believed the necessary planning permissions had been obtained by Inara Events Ltd as the tenant of the premises.

The stop notice is effective immediately and prevents the buildings from being used for such events, and will be in place until September 11, which may affect other unauthorised events which had been booked at the site in the coming weeks.

A formal planning application will be required for a change of use to be considered at the site.

The Issa Foundation and Inara Events Ltd could be prosecuted if they fail to comply with the Temporary Stop Notice.

The leaseholder, Inara Events Ltd, has also been issued a Community Protection Notice Warning letter.

This states the business must 'take reasonable steps to ensure that its customers do not cause excessive noise - including drumming, shouting and singing'.

It adds reasonable steps must also be taken to control customer parking to ensure no nuisance is caused to residents and no danger is caused to pedestrians and other road users.

Failure to comply with the Community Protection Warning will result in a Community Protection Notice being issued by the council.

Failure to comply with that could lead to prosecution and possible fine.

A spokesperson for Blackburn with Darwen Council said: “Enforcement action has today been taken to prevent the former St Mary’s College building from being used for functions and celebration events.

“The building does not have the required planning permission in place to be used for that purpose and so a Temporary Stop Notice has been served as well as a Community Protection Notice warning letter.

“Following events at the weekend, we received complaints from residents in the area, including around noise and dangerous parking.

“We appreciate this action will sadly impact families who may have events planned there in the coming weeks, but the safety and amenity of all of our residents and visitors is our priority, and venues like this cannot be allowed to operate without the required permissions.”

The Lancashire Telegraph is attempting to contact  Inara Events Ltd.

Even after the Temporary Stop Notice expires, the venue will not be allowed to operate without the necessary planning permissions in place.

Anyone with events planned at the former St Mary’s building should contact the organisers directly.