PLANNING permission for Burnley's Empire Theatre to be turned into a bar and bistro should be given, despite a feasibility study showing it could be restored to a flagship theatre for the town, say town hall officers.

But Burnley Light Opera Society, which is heading a £4.4 million bid to transform the Empire into a flagship theatre for the region, say they will continue the fight and have put in their own planning application to the council.

In May, councillors deferred a decision on London company Valdean's bid to change the use of the former town centre bingo hall pending receipt of a feasibility study into the society's plan to restore the Empire to its former glory.

The National Theatre Trust backed the society's move and said of the 150 similar Edwardian theatres still in existence, the Empire was the jewel and could become a flagship theatre for the region. But in a report to councillors, Burnley planning chiefs say little weight should be given to the feasibility study in relation to the change of use application.

They say the study includes options for the conversion of the listed building as a theatre and the work required to achieve this.

But their report to Thursday's meeting of the development control committee adds that bringing the building back to its original use could involve as much alteration as the conversion to a bistro.

The report says: "The original use should be the first option, although this may no longer be viable even with grant assistance."

Burnley Light Opera Society, which is bidding for major lottery grant support for their scheme, will voice their objections at Thursday's meeting.

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