Exciting plans to build new housing for older people in Nelson are gathering pace

Councillors at the March Policy and Resources Committee chose PEARL TOGETHER - a partnership between Pendle Borough Council, Together Housing and Barnfield Investment Properties - as the developer.

Rose Rouse, chief executive of Pendle Borough Council, said: “This builds on the success of our new joint venture company and will be a further project with Together Housing. The Barnfield Group’s construction arm, Barnfield Construction, are on target to handover 79 affordable and eco-friendly homes off Harrison Drive in Colne, at the end of the year.

“Our plan is to custom build housing to help older people live independently for longer, but with care and support on site and opportunities to socialise.

“We will be asking local people for their views on the design of the scheme,” she added.

The Bankhouse Road site in Nelson, which is close to Leeds Road and the town centre, has been vacant for years.

But now, thanks to £200,000 Brownfield Land Release Fund from the government, the difficulty in developing this land due to gas pipes crossing the site, can be tackled.

And the council hopes that other funding can be found to make the Extra Care scheme possible.

The Barnfield Group’s managing director Tim Webber, who is a PEARL board member, said: “We are passionate about improving the housing offering in Pendle and are proud of our PEARL Together partnership, which means we can build a wider range of quality homes in our area.”

Pendle Council’s regeneration manager Judith Stockton said: “We’ve been trying for a long time to find a viable solution for this housing site which is near Leeds Road and Scotland Road in the Bradley area of Nelson.

“Bankhouse Road Nelson is an excellent location for this type of development.

“It’s near to local shops and supermarkets in Nelson town centre and to leisure opportunities such as the gym, pool and Inside Spa at Pendle Wavelengths.

“It’s also handy for the bus and rail interchange as well as the health centre at Yarnspinners Wharf,” she added.