Blackburn kitchen and DIY stores get retrospective approval

The Cooks Villa Catering Centre in Ordnance Street off Copy Nook, and the next-door Home Fix DIY and Garden Centre, had not received the necessary planning permission it emerged in July.

Now Blackburn with Darwen Council has regularised their operation by granting Khanjra International Foods Limited backdated approval for the two stores.

The Cooks Villa premises had until 2015 been a garage but only had permission to operate as a wholesale warehouse for trade customers, not as a retail store.

The Home Fix store took over the premises of the former Khanjra Cash and Carry after it moved.

The Cooks Villa store It did not have planning permission for the conversion of the unit from a food wholesaler to a retail warehouse for the sale of DIY and gardening products.

Cook Villa stocks a range of items including, pots, pans, glasses, gifts, storage and decorative products.

It is believed to be the biggest showroom of its kind in the north of England spread across 27,000 square feet.

Supporting statements submitted with the backdated applications in July said the two new retail premises had created jobs and widened choice for shoppers from Blackburn and the wider East Lancashire area.

The Home Fix DIY store They added that due to the products for sale, it is not considered the two stores would impact upon the vitality and viability of the town centre.

A planning officer's report said: "The applicant stresses that the retail warehouse subject of this application sits alongside an adjacent retail warehouse application to ‘knit’ the two together.

"Together the units would provide kitchen/dining homeware and bulky goods DIY, respectively.

"The applicant’s argument that the nature of the retail offer means that the sales model is reliant upon the ability for customers to be able to easily transport the bulky/heavy products home, which lends itself to car travel and an out-of-centre location, is noted.

"The applicant has not been able to identify any other opportunity sites, which are in the town centre or edge-of-centre locations, that would be available and of appropriate size.

"The council would agree with the assessments of the above sites, and equally are unaware of any other sites within the town centre, or on the edge of the centre, that may be suitable or available for retail warehouses of the type required.

"The proposed (albeit retrospective) development will re-use existing, vacant units and so supports the council’s approach to prioritising and maximising the use of suitable brownfield land."