PLANS to demolish a town centre building to make way for a new block of flats should be refused, council officers have said.

They say that the internal space in the proposed apartments would not meet national standards and that the external space available at the site is likely to be "unusable".

In addition to this, half of the residential units may not provide an acceptable outlook from their main windows.

The recommendation in response to developer Madisons' plans to knock down the vacant warehouse in Bark Street East and build 12 studio apartments in its place.

But the development could still go ahead if members of the planning committee ignore officers' advice and vote in favour of the plans.

This is one of four applications which councillors will discuss at a town hall meeting tomorrow.

First on the agenda is an application to build five new industrial units at Waters Meeting Business Park each measuring approximately 500 square metres.

Planners have recommended approving the final details of the town centre development which was granted permission in principle back in 2014.

Since then, plans for a new link road between Crompton Way and Britannia Way have been scrapped as the road would cause "a number of problems in its own right", according to officers.

They said: "The development mitigates its own highway impacts and whilst it would not contribute to the delivery of any aspiration for improving the capacity of the Crompton Way junctions, it is not considered that this can be justified by the development itself."

Councillors will also consider whether to allow a Smithills homeowner to turn an adjoining woodland into a private residential garden.

READ MORE: Neighbours' anger over plans to turn woodland into private residential garden

Neighbours who oppose his plan to buy the council-owned triangle of land are expected to speak at the public meeting.

Blackrod Church School is set replace its roof covering as long as councillors give the nod to the plans.

The planning committee meets at the town hall tomorrow at 2pm.