Objections to build houses on Upper Rough in Colne flooding in

Over 60 objections are already on the Pendle Planning Portal, mainly from local residents, but also from visitors to the area. In addition, there was a very detailed objection from the Lancashire Wildlife Trust which lists the Curlew, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Lapwing, Reed Bunting, Starling and Song Thrush as Priority Species on the Upper Rough.

John Lamb, LWT’s principal ecologist concluded: “The application and the EIA as it stands does not have regard for Priority Species found on the site.”

Both Colne Town Council and Trawden Parish Council voted unanimously to object to the application.

Lidgett and Beyond, the East Colne countryside charity and community group, is urging its supporters to e-mail objecting to Accrue Capital’s bid to fill the Upper Rough with a huge development of 172 houses.

The group says this totally flies in the face of the appeal decision of 2016 which rejected a similar development.

In addition, Colne Town Councillors unanimously voted to hire professional representation from a planning consultant to defend against the threat the application poses to its Neighbourhood Plan, which designates the Upper Rough as a Local Green Space and is currently being reviewed by a Planning Examiner.

Residents can view all the plans in the documents loaded onto Pendle Council’s Planning Portal. They should choose “Planning” and then “How to view and comment on a planning application” and enter 22/0790/OUT into the search box.

Lidgett &Beyond is asking that people simply email their comments to [email protected] and copy the charity in at [email protected].

The deadline for comments has been extended to December 23rd. However, Pendle Council has confirmed that comments will be accepted right up until determination of the application, which is potentially as soon as the Development Management meeting on 26th January.

Coun. Sarah Cockburn-Price, who co-founded L&B almost a decade ago and is chairman of the Colne Neighbourhood Plan, explained: “It would be preposterous to determine this application before the examiner has weighed the evidence of the Upper Rough as a Local Green Space. To allocate the Upper Rough for housing is directly contrary to the Colne Neighbourhood Plan.”

Coun. vid Cockburn-Price, chairman of trustees at L&B, said: “Lidgett and Beyond established the popular East Colne Way, so we have commissioned a professional response to the section across the Rough being spoiled. No amount of clever photographs can deceive us into believing that the Upper Rough can be hidden. After all, the first part of the name gives it away – it can be seen for miles! The proposed development is unsustainable, inaccessible and highly visible.”

Residents can read the Colne Neighbourhood Plan here: https://colnetowncouncil.org.uk/services/neighbourhood-plan/ and specifically look at the Green Spaces Report, where the Upper Rough is number 4, and the Significant Viewpoint Assessment (pages 13 and 14).

Visit www.lidgettandbeyond.org for the latest info and to see available L&B fundraising merchandise

On Facebook, follow: Lidgett, Bents and Beyond and on Twitter: @lidgetandbeyond