The owner of a shop and neighbouring home has launched a fresh effort to expand it.

The J&S Convenience Store on New Street in Blackrod has the same owner as the property next door.

They previously planned to expand the shop and the residential area upstairs but this was rejected by the council.

The applicants said the shop was too small and the other property was not big enough for the family who lived there.

In a statement, they said: “The shop is currently too cramped and there is barely enough space for customers to walk around and for the shop to carry enough stock, let alone for people with limited mobility.

“The store is also seeking to survive in the recession by investment and a business plan that seeks to cater for local people and provide added value by a personal touch and enhanced customer service.

“The shop will be linked to a new flat upstairs where the applicant will reside.

“The current shop area is 51m² The proposed area will be 119m².”

It added: “The existing flat is far too small for a growing family and hence the need to increase the size.

“The shopkeepers have lived in this property and served the area for many years and are well known and popular residents of Blackrod.”

The plans included a new balcony at the rear of the property.

However council planning officers refused the application.

They said it would lead to an “over intensification of retail use at this location” and “would be detrimental to the living conditions of nearby residents".

They also said proposed changes to a balcony would be “detrimental to the privacy” of two neighbouring properties and also to the “character and appearance of the area".

The previous attempt to gain permission for the changes was rejected in August, however the applicants have now launched an appeal against this decision.