A FORMER social services resource centre is set to become a four-bedroom family home.

Blackburn with Darwen Council planning committee has approved the proposal for the property which it owns.

The Limes on Blackburn Road in Darwen will now revert to its original residential use.

In 2019 the then-vacant former family support venue for children, young people and their families was earmarked to become supported accommodation for care leavers.

But on Thursday night councillors said it could now become a family house.

A report to the committee meeting by planning manager Gavin Prescott said: "The application site relates to an existing detached building, associated detached garage and surrounding garden area, located to the east of Blackburn Road and west of Clifton Street, within the Darwen urban boundary.

"The immediate locality is characterised by class residential properties.

"The host building is of two storey construction and sits within a large garden area that includes mature landscaping and trees.

"The unit is served by a driveway linking to Blackburn Road, which is shared with the adjacent residential property, ‘Westwood’.

"The proposal provides for a change of use of the premises from a social services resource centre to a dwelling house.

"The proposal provides for the creation of a four-bedroom property.

"There are no alterations to either the host building or associated outbuilding.

"Vehicular access will continue to be provided by the driveway shared with the neighbouring house ‘Westwood’ and linking to Blackburn Road.

"The proposed residential use is also consistent with the predominantly residential characteristic of the existing locality.

"Indeed, the proposal would see the building returning to the residential use it was first approved for.

"The current use of the site provides for a social services resource centre.

"The 1994 application clarified this as being for 'multi-agency professionals who spend the majority of their working day in people’s homes and within the community but require a base from which the service is managed and coordinated. Such a base would also receive service users as individuals an in small groups'.”