Have your say on the future development of Pendle

A six-week public consultation is launching on Friday giving residents, businesses and other interested groups an opportunity to influence development in Pendle up to 2030.

Councillor Mohammed Iqbal MBE, Leader of Pendle Council, said: “Planning affects all of our lives – where we live, work and relax – so it’s vital that as many people as possible are given the opportunity to share their views and help shape our new Local Plan so that it meets our needs for the future.

“Once approved, the policies and site allocations in the Plan will guide where developments can take place over the next nine years.

The policies deal with important issues such as:

addressing climate change;

providing a variety of homes to meet local needs;

protecting the best of the natural and built environment;

supporting new and growing businesses so people can work locally to minimise commuting;

encouraging good design;

managing change in our town centres;

improving health and wellbeing.

In response to changes in national planning policy, the draft Plan includes a new annual housing target for Pendle.

The proposal is to reduce the number of new homes to be built each year from 298 to 240.

The 12 housing sites highlighted in the Plan will meet this requirement in full, together with a mixed-use site in Barnoldswick and a site for custom and self-build housing in Nelson.

Five additional Greenfield sites are also included in the draft Plan. These sites will only be developed if the number of new homes being built each year falls below required levels.

Meanwhile, an extension of the successful West Craven Business Park, north of Earby, addresses the borough’s need for employment land.

This compliments the extension to Lomeshaye Industrial Estate in Nelson which was included in the Local Plan Part 1.

To help stop the spread of Covid-19, all consultation events will take place online.

Coun. Iqbal explained: “A series of area-based workshops will take place throughout the consultation period to help you gain a better understanding of the proposals in the Local Plan and how they might affect you.

“All of the sessions and how to get involved will be on Pendle Council’s website – www.pendle.gov.uk/siteallocations. Details will be emailed to people who have signed up to the Council’s newsletters.”

Virtual meetings will also be held with neighbouring authorities and other interested parties.

Neil Watson, Planning, Economic Development and Regulatory Services Manager, said: “The Local Plan Part 2 takes into account of a wide range of new evidence.

“Documents looking at Pendle’s need for new housing, the value of our natural environment and the potential impact of new development, will all be available alongside the Local Plan.

“All the comments we receive during the consultation will be carefully considered before our final draft is published later this year.

“This version of the plan, all supporting evidence, and any comments received in response to a final public consultation, will be submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination by an appointed Inspector. We hope that the Local Plan Part 2 will be adopted in 2022.”

You can view the consultation document and supporting evidence and make comments via Pendle Council’s website at - www.pendle.gov.uk/siteallocations

All comments must be received by no later than 5pm on Friday March 26th.