A new milk and fruit tea shop has been allowed to keep its unauthorised signs after agreeing to turn their lighting off.

Bubbles & Boba, in King William Street, Blackburn, put the illuminated adverts on the front of the outlet when it opened recently.

However, the business did not have the relevant permission for them.

It had to apply for backdated advertisement consent for the installation of a fascia signboard, side panels and projecting box sign from Blackburn with Darwen Council.

This was granted after the lighting element was removed from the plans, as the shop is in the Northgate Conservation Area.

A report by planning officer Emily Colebourne recommended approval, subject to eight conditions, including that 'the advertisement shall be non-illuminated and illumination is not permitted in the interests of the visual amenities of the area and highway safety'.

Her report says: "The application site relates to a three-storey property constructed externally with a mixture of white render with grey cladding features.

"The site is located within the Northgate Conservation Area.

"Retrospective advertisement consent is sought for the installation of signboards, sideboards and a projecting box sign. Initially all signs were proposed to be illuminated. This has been removed from the proposal.

"As the application site falls within the Northgate Conservation Area the conservation team were consulted for comments."

The team said: "The size and illumination of the signage will be a stark contrast to that of others which contribute to the setting.

"The bright and harsh lighting scheme will also distract from the listed buildings and compete with their attractive aesthetics and how they are visually experienced within their setting.

"Therefore, it is my view it is at odds with the key features of the wider area.

"As such, I find that the proposal will cause some visual harm."

Ms Colebourne's report says: "Further to these comments an amended scheme was submitted to remove all of the illumination from the signage.

"Conservation has provided further comments on this to say 'this is a positive step which does address the main area of concern. With the removal of the illumination, I think the remaining harm to the conservation area will be negligible'."

Her report adds: "The removal of all illumination will help to mitigate the number of signs on the frontage."