PLANS to knock down the Edinburgh House YMCA in Clarence Street, Shear Brow, are due to be considered by councillors later this month.

However neighbours have objected to demolishing the building, once earmarked for the Tauheedul Trust’s purpose-built Islamic boys school, until they know what will be constructed on the site.

In June, Blackburn with Darwen borough planning committee refused permission to demolish it for the building of the four-storey secondary school.

The trust has moved the academy temporarily from its current location in Bicknell Street, Little Harwood, to the former Blakewater College in Shadsworth from next term and appears to have abandoned the scheme for the site.

However the trust has asked the committee to approve demolition of the vacant building as ‘dangerous and subject to anti-social behaviour’.

The committee will consider whether to approve the move on Thursday, August 21. Its permission is needed because the building is in the Corporation Park Conservation Area.

Now neighbours in Clarence Street and the 280-year-old nearby Blackburn Subscription Bowling Club are submitting objections to knocking-down the empty shell until proper proposals for the cleared site’s future are in place.

Bowling club treasurer Carol Donnelly said: “I have just submitted our objection.

“I know several neighbours on Clarence Street are doing the same.

“We are objecting because we do not want the demolition approved until we know what is going there. Once the site is cleared there will be pressure to redevelop it.

“We don’t want something unsuitable there again.

“We also want proper security for the site so it does not become dangerous.”

Proposals to build the country’s first Muslim free school were originally put forward in 2011 but provoked bitter opposition from neighbours.

Despite halving the initial intake to 300 and proposals to build an underground car park for 20 vehicles and rewarding pupils for walking to school, councillors turned down the plan.