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 siteA 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 yearThe 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.”

The building had been hit by a series of blazes since Gouldings Martial Arts moved to its new home on King Street two years ago.

The plans have been put before Bolton CouncilThe plans have been put before Bolton Council (Image: BTP Architects)

The most dramatic of these struck on Saturday March 16 this year, causing the roof to cave in.

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What was left of the building was demolished the following week, ahead of schedule after the fire.

But the plans to now build a block of flats over the site have also prompted 11 letters of objection with concerns ranging from overlooking of other properties to loss of daylight.

People have also raised concerns about parking issues, increases in noise and the impact on public services.

Bolton Council’s planning committee will debate the proposals at town hall on Thursday July 18.