Plans have been launched to create a new food production building at the site of a vacant former pharmaceutical premises in Westhoughton.

Stateside Foods Ltd has brought forward the proposals for the spot at the Wingates Industrial Park.

The spot was last used by Catalent Pharma Solutions.

If the plans are approved by the council, food and manufacturing facilities will be set up alongside warehousing and cold storage.

Under the proposals part of the current building would be demolished and a new extension built.

There would also be an area set up for HGVs to load and unload.

A statement by the applicants said that the site was “ideally located” for the proposal.

It said: “The existing site is situated along Lancaster Way within an industrial sector of the Wingates Industrial Park and accessed off Great Bank Road.

“The repurposing of the existing building and its proposed extension to the premises will offer little, or no impact on the surrounding street scene.

“There are no issues of nuisances or audible nuisance associated with site or its intended use.

“The site is ideally located for food manufacturing and industrial premises etc, due to its location next to the existing Stateside premises and its proximity to like users and ease of access to the major road networks from the A6 and motorways M6 and M61.”

The applicants have said that due to the nature of their proposal “no community involvement” is required in the planning process.

The site is indicated as a primary employment area in the unitary development plan of local authorities.

A total of 150 people used to work at the pharmaceutical site when it was in operation.

However plans for it to close its doors were drawn up late in 2020.

Trading issues brought about by the UK's exit from the European Union were cited as a reason for the closure.