A redevelopment project has been launched at the site of a popular former nightclub in the borough.

Owners of the Martholme Grange in Altham want to create six new homes at the site.

This would include a series of bungalows where the old dancefloor used to be.

The nightclub finally closed in 2000 after a series of problems, including a major fire at the premises in 1997.

It was later converted to Brassingtons Cabaret Club but shortly after that it went into liquidation with debts of more than £1million.

It was even once earmarked to be used as a lapdancing bar.

Some of the proposed work at the site has already got underway.

The former nightclub section has been demolished and the main former manor house has already been converted into a five-bedroom home.

Hyndburn Council leader Peter Britcliffe said that it was vital that something was done with the site, which has been plagued by problems in recent years.

He said: “There will be a lot of people that have fond memories of the nightclub and will have a lot of interest in what is happening there.”

The club, which was one of the most popular nightspots in East Lancashire during the 1980s and 1990s, was closed for 10 months in 1997 after the bar and restaurant were torched by arsonists.

Bosses at the time even announced ambitious £750,000 redevelopment plans for a 46- bedroom hotel, leisure club, swimming pool and two restaurants.