A former church hall in Penwortham is to become ‘high quality’ retirement accommodation.

McCarthy and Stone have received planning permission for what used to be St Mary’s Church Hall in Cop Lane.

The flats, which are for over-55s, will be one and two-bedroom apartments.

South Ribble Borough Council gave planning permission on Wednesday (7 March) for the scheme.

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North West division managing director for McCarthy and Stone Ian Wilkins said: “We are absolutely delighted that councillors at South Ribble Borough Council have approved our application for Cop Lane. The consultation revealed overwhelming support for specialist retirement living accommodation, with many local residents looking to downsize from larger properties in the area. Our apartments in Penwortham will allow residents to live independently in an environment that is more suited to their needs, without having to move away from friends and family.

“We have worked hard to produce a scheme that meets a local need, which is reflected in the amount of interest and support we have received. We also wanted to provide a scheme which positively contributes to the character and local architecture in Penwortham.

“We would like to thank local stakeholders and the community for their input and feedback throughout the planning process, and look forward to starting work on these plans with construction due to begin on site as soon as possible.”

A consultation event held by the developers in September last year saw more than 120 people attend, and McCarthy and Stone claim 86 per cent of residents surveyed supported the scheme.

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