Bedsit conversion for former nightclub approved

Applejax - also known as AJs - first opened in the 1970s and closed in 2021

A well-known nightclub in Chorley is to be converted into bedsits.

Applejax on Park Road - also known as AJs - first opened in the 1970s and closed in 2021.

It will become an 18-room house after Chorley Council’s planning committee gave the go-ahead to the change.

As part of the conversion, the rear of the distinctive three-storey property – which stands just yards from Chorley Town Hall – will be extended on its upper floor.

'Eyesore'

Committee member, Councillor Chris Snow, said he welcomed the news, as the building was “becoming an eyesore”.

However, he added that it was “a shame that Chorley can no longer sustain a late-night venue like this”.

Fellow member, Councillor Katie Wilkie, told the meeting she feared parking would become “a major issue”, because of the number of residents. 

But planning services manager Adele Hayes said the “sustainable” nature of the town centre site – on bus routes and close to the railway station – meant that “a high level of demand for on-street parking” was not anticipated. 

Cycle storage is also to be made available to future occupiers.

Residents of the converted three-storey property will each have an ensuite bathroom, while three shared kitchens will be created on each floor of the premises.

The application was approved unanimously.