Residents' 10 years of misery over derelict mill

Their misery began in 2006 with the demise of the once proud and award-winning Perseverance Mill, on Dryden Street.

In November the housing group Calico confirmed it was interested in acquiring the land plagued by fly-tippers, firebugs and vandals for years. It sees it as having potential for future development for its target to build 463 affordable homes across Burnley and Padiham by 2019. It has yet to make a decision whether or not to pursue the idea.

Simultaneously with Calico’s floated interest, Burnley Council and MP Julie Cooper made a joint bid for government cash to help the potential redevelopment.

Four months on, the move has done nothing to alleviate the concerns of people living in the area worried that the ill-fenced tract of land is still strewn with asbestos and a haven for rodents.

The problem is regularly featured on Facebook, on the Padiham Talk Community page.

Andy Higginson set the ball rolling by saying it was only a matter of time before a child is hurt or an accident happens with the fence.

“The council need to act swifter,” said Mr Higginson. “Its been years. If this was near the motorway or dare I say in Burnley it would have been levelled by now and had a 300K piece of ‘art’ constructed on it.”

Tonnes of rubble were left behind after the 2006 demolition of the former textile factory site, and a clear-up followed only after the owner was taken to court.

Fardan Ltd, of Bolton, bought the former site in 2008 for more than £1m. and has refused several offers from concerns wanting to purchase the land.

The firm was taken before magistrates in 2013 and fined nearly £6,000 for failing to clean up the mess.