Former Darwen church saved from demolition after court challenge

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 3 Nov, 16:41 · Archive

A 136-year-old former church in Darwen that was approved for demolition to make way for a convenience store has been saved after a High Court challenge.

Plans to demolish the 136-year-old Bolton Road United Reformed Church in Darwen have been halted after a High Court challenge. The former United Reformed Church, on the corner of Ashleigh Street and Northcote Street, had been set for demolition under proposals by Thistlewood Properties to build a single-storey convenience store with 14 parking spaces. The church closed in 2019 due to falling congregation numbers and had lain vacant since.

Blackburn with Darwen Council's planning committee approved the demolition scheme in May despite 26 objections from residents and concerns over highway safety. However, The Kay Group (UK) Ltd launched judicial review proceedings against the council, challenging the decision on highway safety grounds.

Following the challenge, the council accepted that part of the reasoning used when granting permission was legally flawed. A report to an October planning committee meeting revealed that councillors had been advised to consider a possible 'fallback' position—that the church could potentially be put to another use with worse impacts than a small shop. The council acknowledged that no proper explanation had been provided as to why this theoretical argument should be considered a material factor in the decision. The authority agreed the challenge was well-founded and accepted that permission for the redevelopment should be quashed before the case reached the High Court.

How it is being reported

• Plans to demolish former church to be reconsideredThe former United Reformed Church in Darwen had been set to make way for a convenience store.BBC Lancashire · 3 Nov, 16:06
• Why Darwen's century-old church is not being demolished after rulingPlans to bulldoze a 136-year-old church in Darwen and replace it with a convenience store have been haltedLancashire Telegraph · 3 Nov, 14:00

In this story: Darwen · Blackburn with Darwen Council · Bolton Road United Reformed Church · Thistlewood Properties · The Kay Group (UK) Ltd

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