Anger over Lomeshaye expansion plans

Several hundred people from Fence and Higham attended a meeting convened by Old Laund Booth Parish Council last week to voice their serious concerns about the expansion over 74 acres (30 hectares) of green belt land.

The plans, part of Pendle Council’s core strategy for development in the borough up to 2030, will go before Pendle Council’s Executive on Tuesday, March 25th, and the full council two days later.

Pendle councillor for Old Laund Booth and Executive vice-chairman Coun. John David said: “I am violently opposed to these plans.

“I spoke at length at the meeting and urged people to write in opposing them.

“I believe some of the figures put forward to support the plans are erroneous.

“The expansion would come up the hillside from Lomeshaye all the way up to the bypass and be seen from miles.

“It would have an adverse impact on tourism in the area and is not necessary as there is capacity at Lomeshaye already.

“It will also put more traffic on to the bypass which is already a dangerous road.”

One resident who attended the meeting, Stuart Kerr, said: “It will churn up fields and farmland.

“The powers-that-be say it is for 2.5% growth in industry use each year.

“But there is 10% spare capacity of units in Lomeshaye which are empty or have space for development.

“Why start building on green belt land when there is so much spare capacity already?

“The traffic it will create will just turn the road into a motorway.

“It is going to become another M65.

“It would just crucify Fence, Higham and anyone else who lives along the bypass with the traffic.

“The road goes right past the villages.

“It will wreck the rural aspect if the road gets busier.

“We walk down the road and it’s already ‘zoom, zoom, zoom’ all the time with cars and traffic constantly rushing past.

“Everyone is very much against this. Everyone is up in arms.”