Blackburn M&S plan to move out of town set to be rejected

M&S has been in Blackburn town centre in King William Street since the 1980s

A department store's proposal to leave a town centre for a new state-of-the-art base has suffered a major blow.

Marks & Spencer wanted to relocate its Blackburn branch to Issa brother's Frontier Park retail hub at Whitebirk.

But Hyndburn Council's planning committee has been advised by officers to refuse the application for the new store when it meets next week.

A report said there were better alternative sites for the store.

It notes an objection from Blackburn with Darwen Council which suggests alternative sites for the new M&S store on Carl Fogarty Way and on the location on the former Thwaites Brewery land originally earmarked for a new Morrison' superstore before the supermarket chain pulled out of the move last month.

There are also objections from a nearby resident and Tesco.

In November M&S announced it was planning on vacating its current site in the heart of Blackburn town centre in King William Street, where it has stood since the 1980s.

It revealed it was proposing to move into a purpose-built larger store which would feature a new food hall and wider range of products Frontier Park on the outskirts of the town.

All 120 staff would be offered jobs at the new site which would be double the size of the existing one if the move goes ahead

Now the application by the Issa brothers property arm Monte Blackburn Ltd which owns the out of town retail estate on Frontier Avenue, Rishton, to build the store is due to be debated by councillors on Hyndburn Council's planning committee on Wednesday.

Blackburn with Darwen Council's growth boss councillor Quesir Mahmood: "We were obviously disappointed when M&S said it was leaving Blackburn town centre.

"If planning permission is refused for the Frontier Park site we would be happy to help them find a location in the town."

Monte Blackburn Ltd declined to make immediate comment.

Marks and Spencer has been approached for comment.