PLANS to convert a former canalside warehouse in Burnley into apartments have been given the go-ahead.

Whiteholme Ltd, based in Fleetwood, submitted a proposal to turn the former office and warehouse into 20 new apartments, which has now been approved by Burnley Council.

The two buildings, at the junction of Healey Wood Road and Manchester Road, were used as an office, showroom and as a retail, repair and maintenance facility by P3 Computers until May this year.

This will now be replaced with 20 two, three and four-bedroom apartments.

Canal and River Trust area manager Simon Tucker said: “We welcome the proposed re-use of the building next to the waterway, which could help secure the future preservation of the Grade II listed building.”

Ward Cllr Elizabeth Monk said: “I think it’s going to be a good thing. It will be good for Burnley because it will encourage growth in the town. It’s a great project.”

Cllr Jeff Sumner, who represents the ward that borders Healey Wood Road, said: “There is a lot of restoration in Burnley, particularly old mills being made into apartments, which is fantastic. This is part of the project to make Burnley into a university town.”

A spokesman for the applicant said: “The buildings are under occupied and are now unlikely to secure active commercial use given their position and lack of external parking.

"This lends itself to the proposals for conversion to residential flats.”

The new flats will overlook the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and are located just a mile away from the M65.

They are also within walking distance to Burnley town centre and Burnley Manchester Road railway station.

The canalside buildings form part of the historic industrial zone on the west side of the town centre and have survived from Burnley’s booming 19th century cotton industry.

Developing alongside the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, the northern building is identified as an early 19th century warehouse and the southern one as a mid 19th century industrial building.

At the time these would have been used for both storage and transferring goods from canal to road transport.

In 1997 the two buildings were given Grade II listed status and each had its own entry in the National Heritage List for England.

The decision to turn the old buildings into apartments has been welcomed by the council and the Canal and River Trust. and local councillors.