Additional Colne Greggs bakery ‘will not harm town centre’, councillors told

A new Greggs bakery is earmarked for Colne, among the latest planning applications for Pendle Council.
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Other new applications include a plan for 19 homes at Bowland View, Brierfield, and the sale of council-owned land at Helmn Way, Nelson, to gain access to a site earmarked for six new homes.

In Colne, Greggs PLC wants permission to change the use of a vacant former warehouse at North Valley Retail Park into a retail bakery. The site was last used as a beauty products wholesale warehouse, a Pendle Council planning report states.

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Another Greggs shop is already operating in Colne town centre but Pendle planning officers believe a new, additional bakery at North Valley would not harm the core shopping areas.

Greggs has applied for permission to change the use of a vacant former warehouse at North Valley Retail Park into a retail bakeryGreggs has applied for permission to change the use of a vacant former warehouse at North Valley Retail Park into a retail bakery
Greggs has applied for permission to change the use of a vacant former warehouse at North Valley Retail Park into a retail bakery

Plans include installing bakery equipment and an air handling unit, TV display screens, Greggs shop signs, a totem Greggs sign at the front and roller-blinds.

Councillors on Pendle’s Colne & District Area Committee will look at the Greggs plan this week. But a final decision will now be taken by the full council, under a planning shake-up.

A report to Colne committee councillors states: “The building already exists and the application seeks to change the use of it. There are a number of similar uses close to the application site. This application would see the re-use of a currently vacant industrial unit, with benefits to the local economy, including jobs.

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“Although the proposed development is not within the town centre and proposes a retail use, it is not contrary to the sequence of preferences set out in planning policies. This is because it is within an acceptable walking distance of the town centre. Moreover, the planning statement confirms that there would be no intention to close the existing retail unit in the town centre. As such, the proposed development site is the most sequentially preferable after a town centre location.”

Colne Town Council is happy with the Greggs plan but has asked that litter bins be included in planning conditions, the report adds.

Other planning applications for the Colne area committee’s comments include erection of roof lift to alter a dormer bungalow to a two-storey house at 110 Castle Road, Colne, and a first-floor extension and internal alterations.at 144 Langroyd Road, also Colne.

There is also a plan to vary conditions for windows and doors in the conversion of an outbuilding at Lower Broach Farmhouse, Skipton New Road, Foulridge. Permission is wanted to install aluminium window frames rather than timber frames. All the applications are being recommended for approval by Pendle Council planning officers.

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Meanwhile councillors on the borough’s Nelson, Brierfield and Reedley Area Committee are being asked to comment on a plan for 19 homes at Bowland View, Brierfield, and the sale of the small plot of land at Helmn Way, Nelson. Pendle Council currently owns the small area of land and is looking to sell it for £40,000, so a developer can have access to the land behind for six new homes.

Under changes at Pendle Council, the borough’s four areas committees can now only make recommendations about planning applications rather than formal decisions to refuse or approve. Final decisions will be taken at forthcoming full council meetings until a new central planning committee is created.

PLANNING DECISIONS SHAKE-UP

Pendle Council is creating a new central planning committee to deal with all applications in future. However, until the new planning committee’s size and remit is fully defined and formally constituted, planning decisions are being taken by all borough councillors at full council meetings.

Removing planning decision-making from area committees has been opposed by Labour and Lib-Dem councillors.

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They claim it removes local input from ward councillors, residents, parish and town councils. They argue the area committee system produces good planning decisions and engagement . They also have concerns about how many councillors will sit on the new planning committee and changes to ‘call-in’ arrangements. to scrutinise plans in more detail

However, ruling Conservative councillors has said area committees have made inconsistent planning decisions, leaving the Pendle Council open to planning appeals and potential costs, and councillors on area committees are vulnerable to pressure from local electors.

Conservatives also say applications needs to be more efficiently handled by one central committee, as part of a wider transformation cross Pendle Council. They say residents and other parish and town organisations will still be able to speak at central planning committee meetings, which could be held in different locations.