Green light given for eco-friendly homes in Colne

Pendle Council granted planning permission for the 79 affordable new homes on empty land off Harrison Drive in Colne, with work set to start in late spring for completion in summer 2021.

The 43 two-bedroom homes and 28 three-bedroom homes will take advantage of the latest in green technologies for their power and heating in the development made possible thanks to £3.5m. Homes England Strategic Partnership funding.

It is the first project of a new partnership called PEARL Together which will see Pendle Council, Barnfield Investment Properties and Together Housing Group joining forces to offer more housing in Pendle.

PEARL Together representatives left to right: Julie Whittaker, housing, health and engineering services manager for Pendle Council; Coun. Mohammed Iqbal, leader of Pendle Council; Andrew Couper of Barnfield and finance director for PEARL; Coun. Paul Foxley, PEARL board member; Jamie Irving, Barnfield Construction's development surveyor, and Russell Gallagher, project manager for Together Housing

Barnfield’s managing director Tim Webber, a PEARL board member, said: “This is an important landmark as PEARL celebrates 10 years of successful regeneration and £83m. of investment in Pendle.

“PEARL was founded to make Pendle a more prosperous place to live and work and PEARL Together will mean we can build a wider range of quality homes in our area.”

Russell Gallagher, project manager for the Together Housing Group said: “Rising house prices are locking many first-time buyers and people on low incomes out of the housing market - often forcing people to move away from their roots.

“At Harrison Drive we’ll be building mainly two and three-bedroom homes for affordable rent which will help individuals, couples and young families to stay in the area they grew up in."

Architect's impression of the Harrison Drive development

Meanwhile, the leader of Pendle Council, Coun. Mohammed Iqbal, said the new homes will be built on an overgrown and difficult to access site following a public consultation.

He added: "We will be retaining some of the open space and improving it. The new homes will be built 21 metres away from the back of the houses which surround the site on all sides, on Birtwistle Avenue, Slater Avenue, Tennyson Road and Harrison Drive.

Other PEARL developments in Colne include nearby Langroyd Place and Greenfields View, while it is also creating mill apartments at Northlight in Brierfield.