Green light to bring petrol station and restaurant to old Burnley pub and church site

In February, Blackburn-based Euro Garages applied for permission from Burnley Council to develop the site of the former St Teresa’s RC Church and the General Havelock Inn on Barracks Road, Burnley.

Both have been closed down and unoccupied for several years.

The planning application was approved by Burnley Council’s development control committee.

Euro Garages bosses say the development will bring up to 35 new jobs to the area.

The company purchased the public house which sits on the site in October 2017 after it had been on the market for three-and-a-half years with no interest from buyers.The church was not on the market for long before it was purchased by EG.

The development is designed to incorporate 27 parking spaces, and access to the facility will be off Barracks Road opposite the current gym.

A report before the committee stated: “The vacant church and presbytery are no longer required by the Salford Diocese and following marketing, no other community uses have come forward. It is accepted therefore that the church buildings are no longer required to provide for the social and community needs of the local area.

"Similarly, the General Havelock public house has been marketed since May 2014 without any success in finding a new owner to maintain its use as a public house.

“Notably, there is another public house (Angel Inn) on the opposite side of the mini roundabout on Burnham Gate which provides a similar social function in the local area.

The proposal is unlikely therefore to have a significant impact on the social and community infrastructure of the local area.”