Moves to create a conservation area restricting development in part of Colne has been re-started, three months after they were controversially paused.

Pendle Council’s executive has recommenced work towards creating a conservation area in Colne’s Keighley Road district. The council will formally write to all households in the area and to the Government to progress the scheme.

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The conservation area project first began in 2024. Activity has included reports about the area’s buildings and green spaces, as well as public consultation held over the winter of 2025-26. Feedback in one survey suggested over 90% of people who responded supported a conservation area.

Once in place, a conservation zone would restrict works that could be carried out on local homes without applying for planning permission, in order to maintain the area’s historic character.

But it was paused in March this year by Pendle’s executive, after an objection from Alan Davies. The former Liberal Democrat leader of Pendle Council is also chairman of the Peter Birtwistle Trust, which provides housing in Colne.

Mr Davies said his March comments were made in a personal capacity. However his email, sent two months after the consultation deadline, and the executive’s decision to pause the scheme sparked a row.

Public speakers included David Poole on behalf of bowling teams at Colne Cricket and Bowling Club. He said: “The bowling green has been there for over 100 years. It’s been described by some people as ‘redundant’ but it’s actually used by three teams. I believe the housing trust is trying to block a conservation area because that would probably mean higher construction costs for any building developments.

“We believe the area should be protected by a conservation area. Colne is a lovely town and people would not forgive us if every patch of green was covered with bricks and concrete.”

Sheila Hogg highlighted the bowling green and allotments in the Keighley Road area, saying: “Gardening, exercise and socialising brings benefits for everyone, young and old. So please vote for a conservation area to help everyone.”

Dawn Gawthrop spoke for Grosvenor and Mabel Street Community Land Trust. She said: “We represent around 61 households and own a substantial tract of land. The green spaces under our remit include paddocks and allotments. People really value these and want to keep the area’s overall character.

“We’ve taken a keen interest in the conservation area project. So we were very surprised when it was stalled. Decisions need to take into account a broad range of views – and not be shaped too heavily by one stakeholder, with something significant to gain or lose.”

Conservative Coun Sarah Cockburn Price argued that some executive councillors should have declared they knew Mr Davies through shared Lib Dem links. But she added: “None of that came out at the executive in March – and that felt a bit underhand.”

However, Lib Dem Lola Whipp, the council’s new deputy leader, said: “As a councillor, I have never met Alan Davies. We hesitated to approve this scheme in March because several long-serving councillors, who are no longer here, had experience of other conservation areas and knew that residents can regret them. We wanted to make sure people had full knowledge.”

But Independent Coun Mohammad Hanif said: “The letter came two months after the deadline. I was surprised and thought would we have done that for anybody else? But I do support a Colne conservation area.”

Lola Whipp and fellow Lib-Dem Dorothy Lord suggested the executive agree ‘in principle’ to forming the conservation area, subject to no reasonable objections from the Peter Birtwistle Trust.

However, other councillors disagreed. So the Lib Dem motion was withdrawn and the executive agreed Coun Hanif’s recommendation to simply re-start the process and inform residents and the Government.

Alan Davies said: “The Peter Birtwistle Trust objected in the first consultation, as a property owner facing potentially increased costs. But the second objection was from me on a personal basis.

“In the first consultation, about 300 homes received a letter and Pendle Council got 20 responses. The second consultation had no letter but led to around 110 responses. Conservation area supporters probably did some lobbying, which is fair enough. But they also held three public meetings staffed by the instigators.

“That was my objection – and it still is. I’m not upset about the conservation area. But the trust’s original views were valid and I still object to how the consultation was done.

“I sent my personal views to the council when I was travelling to London. Then all Pendle’s executive committee paused the process – not just the former leader, David Whipp, or the Lib Dems alone.”

He said the accusation that Lib Dem councillors failed to declare their links to him was wrong, saying: “It’s over 18 years since I left Pendle Council.”

Regarding the bowling green’s future, he said: “Yes, the trust has an option to buy it, subject to planning permission. But our architects have been aware of the conservation area plan for a long time, so any studies have been done with that in mind.”

Lib Dem David Whipp was Pendle Council’s leader in March when the pause was agreed and defended that decision. He lost his borough seat in May’s election but was contacted recently for further comment.