PLANS for a £500,000 police station for Bacup have been scrapped after it has been revealed that the building has been sold to private developers.

Instead, Lancashire Police Authority is looking at building a smaller central base for Rossendale officers - but it will not be open to the public.

The police authority was forced to come up with the alternative idea after a planning application for the station was turned down earlier this year.

The authority had been granted outline permission last December to demolish the former Horace's nightclub, off Market Street, and replace it with the new station.

But the detailed plans were recommended for refusal at a meeting of Rossendale Council's development control committee in January.

Councillors turned down the application - referring to the design as 'a prison' - after it was revealed a perimeter fence would be erected.

Details of the new plans are due to be discussed by Lancashire Police Authority resources committee on August 25.

Steve Hodkinson, Lancashire Constabulary property services manager, says in a report to the committee: "At the last meeting the committee resolved that the planning application be re-submitted to Rossendale Council.

"Earlier this month information was received indicating that the main part of the site of the proposed development in Lee Street had been acquired by a property development company.

"The new owners have been contacted and have confirmed that completion has taken place. In these circumstances, re-submission of a planning application would not be appropriate.

"A full report on the options available for the operational policing of this area will be submitted to a future meeting."

The idea is to create an operational deployment centre, supporting smaller police stations strategically located in the main centres of the Valley.

Mr Hodkinson added: "Although the proposals have not been fully developed, it is envisaged that the smaller police stations would provide public access points and a base for the community beat managers and local officers. A potential site for an operational deployment centre is currently being sought."

The station would have housed 80 officers, including community beat managers and police community support officers.

But according to councillors, the development within the Bacup Conservation Area, would not have been in keeping with the town's heritage.

A Rossendale Council spokesman said: "We don't know who has bought the building but we are glad to see a building that has been empty for so long being taken over and hopefully developed."