PLANS to transform a former Methodist chapel into an Asian wedding venue have been given the green light.
It was the third time Nazakat Ali had applied to Hyndburn Council’s Planning Committee to redevelop the Richmond Road building into a reception venue and restaurant, principally for Asian weddings.
Councillors, who turned down Mr Ali’s previous applications because of problems with parking, praised his "persistence and hard work" in getting his scheme approved.
Councillor Marlene Haworth said: "I think the applicant has done everything we wanted him to do.
"He has really gone out of his way to put right what we told him was wrong.
"I think we should now approve the application and give Mr Ali the opportunity to make a good living."
The latest application, which included new parking arrangements, was passed after months of discussions between planners and the developer.
Mr Ali’s bid was also supported by 58 nearby residents in the form of a petition.
The plan is to create a ground-floor function room holding 160 people and a first-floor restaurant seating 150, which will be available for all sorts of functions including birthday parties.
In order to bring down the number of parking spaces needed Mr Ali pledged to use only one floor at a time.
As well as on-site parking, arrangements have been made to use 36 parking spaces at the mosque next door, 14 street frontage spaces in Richmond Road and spaces in Spring Hill Community Centre’s car park.
Mr Ali also pledged not to arrange functions on days when the car park was required by the mosque.
He said after the meeting: "I feel really happy that things can finally get moving. All the councillors and the planners have been really helpful in getting this application passed.
"We hope to open within the next few months and we are going to try Asian and Chinese food to start off with in the restaurant.
"All my neighbours have been really great and I would like to thank them for all their support."
