Adult learning boost for £32m. mill transformation

The ambitious £32m. project to regenerate Brierfield Mill has been given a further boost after Lancashire Council Council approved funding of more than £2m.
Brierfield Mills - an impression of how the complex could lookBrierfield Mills - an impression of how the complex could look
Brierfield Mills - an impression of how the complex could look

The £2.15m, approved by the council’s leader Jennifer Mein, will see £1.5m for infrastructure and public realm works, including redeveloping the marina for leisure use, as well as £650,000 to support the relocation of Lancashire Adult Learning from its current base in Chorley to Brierfield Mill.

The £32m project to transform the mill into Northlight will create a new leisure, residential and educational destination which will provide a significant contribution to the regeneration of the area, while maximising the economic potential of an important East Lancashire heritage asset.

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Speaking about the project, County Coun. Mein said: “This is an exciting project with the potential to transform the fortunes not just of Brierfield but of the area as a whole.

“Bringing together leisure, residential and educational facilities in this iconic building will create a host of opportunities for people from across Lancashire and beyond and provide a real boost to the local economy.”

The project is led by PEARL, a joint venture established between Barnfield Investment Properties Ltd and Pendle Borough Council.

It has a total cost of £31.8m of which £21.8m is being provided by the private sector and £10.1m is being provided by the public sector. Pendle Council has committed £1.5m to the development.

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Tim Webber, managing director of Barnfield Construction and a PEARL board member, said: “As Pendle based developers we’re extremely passionate about the Northlight development.

“It’s an exciting project for a stunning complex of historic buildings across a site of over seven acres.”

The new facility LAL at Northlight would support and deliver adult community learning across Lancashire by providing an administrative and delivery base for LAL as well as providing a centre in East Lancashire, which has the greatest demand in the county for community learning.

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