Accrington's first ever bank set to be turned into block of 19 flats

The former Manchester and Liverpool District Bank at the junction of Eagle Street and Cannon Streetwas Accrington’s first bank, and opened in 1867. The Grade II-listed building is currently empty and said to be “deteriorating”, having most recently been used an old people’s day centre and council offices.

Bare Capital are also behind the transformation of this landmark gatehouse

Now Paul Preston of Chorley-based Bare Capital has submitted plans to Hyndburn Borough Council, to transform the site into 14 one-bedrooms apartments and five two-bedroom apartments. The company’s website states the apartments would be “high end” for market rent.

Proposals are also for a residents’ gym and internal cycle store, changes to the car park and enhancements to the soft landscaping. The vast majority of changes would be internal, owing to the listed status of the building.

Nick Moss Architects state: “The proposals to convert the building to residential use, which to an extent was a part of the buildings original function, will secure a long term future for the building with changes that are considered to have primarily neutral or moderate heritage impact.

“The minor changes to the building fabric will have neutral impact on the setting of surrounding heritage assets and the Conservation Area however to secure the currently vacant building’s future within a conservation area that is deemed by Historic England to be poor and at risk, is a significant benefit.” History of the building

The site has been developed in a number of stages with the original building having been constructed around 1867. The building was altered and extended around 1905 with a single storey flat roofed pavilion with basement and a gabled entrance porch, centrally located between the original building and the extension.

The branch closed in 1942 and moved to the other District Bank branch on St James Street, following the merger of the Manchester and Liverpool District Bank and the Manchester and County Bank. Hyndburn Borough Council acquired the building, converting it to office use and the building was further extended in the 1980’s. Internally the building has been much altered and many of the original fixtures and fitting from when it was a bank have been lost. The building has been vacant for a number of years and a report by the architect states: “Whilst it is in a reasonable condition, it is deteriorating.” There has been water ingress at the junction between the original bank and the Edwardian extension that has led to what appears to have been a dry rot infestation, which has been treated however elements of historic fabric have been stripped out to treat the infestation and repair the fabric.