ANEW luxury development is planned to restore a dilapidated Grade II listed building back to its former glory.

Rundown Vale house on Market Street, Stoneclough, has stood as a magnate for vandals and arsonists since closing in 1987.

Once the lavish home of the Fletcher family, who owned the mill across the road, it was turned into a social club for workers in the 1920s before shutting its doors and falling into decline.

As previously revealed in the BEN, development company, Engleford Ltd, which has offices in Horwich and the Isle of Man, has received planning permission to transform the site.

Plans revealed with this drawing show the distinctive frontage of the listed building will be restored to its former glory. The main house will be split across the middle, keeping the frontage intact for one large four-bedroomed house.

The back of the house, which is three storeys high, will be transformed into two large houses.

A gate house in the style of the main building will be built, and two large houses either side of the main original house will be developed. Two luxury three-storey apartment blocks will be built at the rear of the main house. One will have four apartments on each floor, and the other one large unit on each storey.

Prices will start at about £90,000 and run through to £250,000.

One of the two main men behind the proposals, David Monks, said: "I am from Farnworth and have known that site for many years. I remember it as a social club. It has been a great shame that it has grown into such a poor state of repair.

"Stoneclough still retains its nice village environment and I felt it would lend itself to this exclusive development." His partner, Philip Pendlebury, added: "Preliminary work could start as soon as next week and we would hope the first building -- the gate house -- would be completed by March."

A sweeping driveway will be restored to the site and the remainder of the grounds will be lawned, with many of the trees retained. A secure wrought iron fence is being considered to protect the site with an intercom system at front electric gates.

Mr Monks said: "All the specifications will be made to very high standards. And we will be going to great pains to ensure we conserve as much of the original as possible."