Build on brown sites, don’t swamp our countryside

Regular readers of this column will know how much I enjoy spending time outdoors enjoying the rural splendour that surrounds our towns.
Lomeshaye Industrial Estate.Lomeshaye Industrial Estate.
Lomeshaye Industrial Estate.

Anyone who follows my Twitter feed will have a pretty comprehensive picture of just how often I get out and about drinking in the countryside.

So I am sure you can imagine how horrified I am by all the plans for new industrial developments and new housing estates which will simply plant yet more concrete on our countryside.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

I am old enough to remember what the view towards Pendle Hill looked like before the Lomeshaye Industrial Estate was ever dreamt of.

There are only three things I would like to say to plans to extend it towards the bypass.

No. No. No.

I know our local councils are under pressure to highlight areas for both industrial expansion and new houses.

But there have to be alternatives to plonking new industrial estates on more green belt land and doing similar with new houses.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And, especially after the winter we have endured, someone needs to be keeping a better eye on the flood plains that some of the plans are destined for.

I have said it before and I will say it again.

There are plenty of new housing developments that show just what can be achieved by clearing out not-fit-for-purpose dewellings and building 21st Century homes in their place.

There are plenty of examples throughout our area of this happening.

And I could think of at least another 50 streets that could be redeveloped in similar ways.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

If it can be done with housing, why not with industrial development?

Can someone please fill up the vacant space on our industrial estates before attempting to swamp more of our lovely countryside with new workshops?

And then can a start be made on some areas that were originally used for industry but are now not used for anything?

If you think clearly about it, you will be able to think of one within a mile of where you live.

Let’s use them wisely!

Related topics: