Homes and apartments plan for historic Burnley baths site

The former Gannow Baths in Sycamore Avenue, which opened in 1902, would be knocked down to make way for five houses and apartment block to be built.

It was most recently used by the Life Church which moved to the building from Queensgate in 2005, but in 2014 moved to a new building in Sycamore Avenue.

If passed, the land would be the latest in that area of Burnley to be used for new housing, which would be carried out over two phases.

The first phase would see three terrace houses built on the existing car park, fronting Sycamore Avenue and alterations to the existing swimming pool building for use as a training centre.

The second phase would see demolition of the existing swimming pool building to be replaced with two more residential houses fronting Sycamore Avenue and a new three storey residential apartment block, towards the back of the site, containing twelve units. Parking would be provided externally at ground level and under the new block also at ground level.

Architects Liberata submitted the application to Burnley Borough Council on behalf of Spacious Place Developments.

Despite objections from the Burnley Civic Society and a protest held outside of the baths by local residents, the public baths were closed by Burnley Borough Council in the summer of 2004.

Local councillor and historian Roger Frost said that Gannow Baths was one of three municipal baths built in Burnley, along with the Central Baths and North Street Baths.