Plans to build new flats on the site of an abandoned martial arts centre that was hit by a fire earlier this year will be debated next week. The former Gouldings Martial Arts building on St Germain Street, Farnworth has been empty for the last two years. Fears about safety were realised in March when a fire broke out, but next week Bolton Council is set to debate plans to revive the site with a new three-storey building made up of 36 flats.
A Council report said: “The original proposal was for a three-storey block with a flat roof which appeared very regular and institutional and was not felt to be of appropriate design. “The amended design is of a larger scale than the surrounding houses but, given the larger buildings in the vicinity, is not out of scale. A proposal has been made to build new flats over the site (Image: BTP Architects) “Furthermore, the materials and roof design will complement the existing houses and older large buildings in the area and set this apart from the newer panel clad employment buildings.
“The windows are of domestic scale and the mass of the building is broken up by ground floor textural brickwork, changes in the horizontal alignment of the elevations and the use of contrast brick panelling. The fire broke out in March this year (Image: Public) “When viewed from public points in the residential areas the building will sit comfortably within the middle of the site with open space on all sides, softened by the retained mature trees.” .