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Used car dealership in Lancashire to be turned into children’s play centre

  • A Lancashire car dealership is set to be turned into a children’s play centre
  • Fun Motor Group site is to be transformed into ‘Little Lancashire Village’
  • Application approved by planning committee in Darwen
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Time 10:31 am, February 25, 2022

A used car dealership is set to be transformed into a children’s play centre after planning officials granted a change of use.

The showroom in Darwen, Lancs, has been empty since being vacated by Fun Motor Group, an authorised SSangYong repairer.

Plans were submitted to Darwen Council last year to turn the site into a children’s play centre called The Little Lancashire Village.


The council’s planning committee have now given the application the green light meaning work will now be able to get underway.

The decision means the site will no longer be used by the automotive sector, after Fun Motor Group folded in late 2018.

The Little Lancashire Village already runs one site in Burnley, the Lancashire Times reports.


It now plans to create ‘high quality, scaled down, real life play units’ such including a cafe, a supermarket and a post office where children can play.

The planning statement read: ‘Imagination based play is a vital activity for our children and is supported within the Early Years Curriculum.

‘We will offer pre-defined play sessions, booked online in advance with set numbers per session so that each child can enjoy the experience to the full.

‘As each session ends, the play units will be restored to their original state ensuring the next group of children can enjoy the wow factor.

‘Every prop will be returned to the right place to stimulate curiosity and inventiveness and this regular cleaning ensures hygienic, well maintained play areas.’

The Fun Motor Group site is located on Branch Road in Lower Darwen and includes its own car park that would serve the new centre.

The planning statement continued: ‘The parking situation will be constantly monitored to ensure ease of parking for customers and our neighbours.’

Jack Williams's avatar

Jack joined the Car Dealer team in 2021 as a staff writer. He previously worked as a national newspaper journalist for BNPS Press Agency. He has provided news and motoring stories for a number of national publications including The Sun, The Times and The Daily Mirror.



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