Burnley Council and OnSide to bring new Youth Zone to town

Burnley Council’s Executive will soon consider a proposal to approve a grant to national youth charity OnSide, to progress the design and development work for a Youth Zone on the site of the old Thompson Centre car park.

The estimated capital cost of a Youth Zone is between £7m. and £8m., while Burnley Council would need to raise between 50% and 75% of the costs with Onside securing the balance from philanthropic donors.

Depending on how much capital the council commit, there will then being an on-going revenue contribution of £200,000 to £300,000, with the balance of the running costs being raised from membership fees and onside fund-raising.

Some Burnley businesses are already actively engaged with Onside, including Fagan and Whalley and Graham and Brown, all of whom are sponsors of the Blackburn Youth Zone.

The former Thompson Centre site was identified as the preferred option in that it was the right size but also met Onside’s key site criteria of being ‘Neutral, Accessible and Prominent’.

The news was welcomed by leaders from both main parties on Burnley Council.

Council leader Coun. Afrasiab Anwar said: “This is an important step forward as we explore the potential for a Youth Zone in Burnley.

“We know from our residents that young people want and need safer, inspiring spaces where they can spend time, build confidence and find new opportunities. While there’s still work to do to make this project a reality, this proposal is a clear signal of our intent to invest in the next generation.”

A Youth Zone for Burnley was first mooted in August 2022. Although the new project is still at a development stage, a previous feasibility study and consultation have shown strong support from young people, community groups and local businesses.

In 2022, Onside worked with key stakeholders in Burnley to undertake a viability study. The report concluded that there was an overwhelming need for a facility.

The report found that Burnley has no genuinely universal seven day per week youth provision. The report noted that 25.5% of children in Burnley are in Child poverty, that is 50% higher than the national average.

Labour leader, Coun. Mark Townsend, said: “After years of youth services being continually cut it’s good news to see proposals now coming forward for a state-of-the-art Youth Zone in Burnley.

“There are still questions about how it will be paid for and whether the old Thompson Centre car park is the best location but overall this is a project that has my backing. The evidence is clear that investing in the youth of today delivers positive outcomes for the individuals who attend as well as society generally.”

Clare Kanakides, director of Operations at OnSide, said: “We build state-of-the-art youth centres for young people in areas where we know they will have the biggest impact. A Youth Zone in Burnley would be truly transformational for the town’s children and young people, bringing new opportunities and experiences to help them grow, connect, gain skills and confidence, and reach their full potential.”