Theatre upgrades, new homes, shopping mall and leisure centre decisions will shape Pendle in 2024

Pendle is currently home to a range of property and land activity including major government-backed levelling-up projects and borough council joint ventures with developers and other organisations.

In Colne, theatre venues The Muni, Pendle Hippodrome and Little Theatre are being upgraded in various ways with over £3million for cultural quarter work.

The Muni is having a major refurbishment including new roofing, windows, heating and lighting for energy efficiency. The Hippodrome is being upgraded and extended into the next-door Derby Arms pub building. And Little Theatre work includes a new foyer and better access,

Pendle Council’s Colne area committee has had updates on various projects this month. One report said contractor Liberata, which deals with council-owned property, had reported ‘further issues and variations’ at Colne Municipal Theatre, with around another £100,000 of costs arising, following confirmation of a ceiling repairs bill. There are still some further issues to be assessed.

As a result, some non-essential but ‘nice to have’ elements have been stopped. Some previously-approved items could be removed, to keep the final work near the budget of £1,563,000, the report stated.

Elsewhere in Colne, the indoor market hall is set for a redesign and refurbishment, including a new food hall and new apartments. Boosting Colne’s night time economy is seen as a key ambition and a food hall is seen as an important part of the future mix. Plans have recently been amended following feedback from councillors.

Nearby in Nelson, big projects there include the proposed demolition and redevelopment of Pendle Rise shopping centre, the building of new homes and the extension of Lomeshaye Industrial Estate. Money for Nelson schemes comes from various pots including government levelling-up cash and the Nelson Town Deal.

Nelson’s Pendle Rise shopping centre has been the subject of various discussions over recent years. Pendle Council is considering a legal compulsory purchase order to buy the site, if need be. The shopping mall is out-dated, has empty units, hinders movement through Nelson town centre and its regeneration, the council believes.

Pendle Council wants to demolish and re-redevelop the site in a joint venture called Penbrook Developments with Sale property developer Brookhouse. A planning application was approved this autumn.

The Pendle Rise owners, Future Properties, have said they will consider selling it, if a price can be agreed. They say an independent surveyor’s valuation is fair. But the asking price has been queried by some Pendle councillors, who claim it is too high.

New homes are also on the horizon in Nelson. Recent planning applications have included one for 129 homes along with open space, roads and landscaping on land at Further Clough Head, Bamford Street, Nelson.

PEARL Together Ltd, a joint venture with Pendle Council, Barnfield Construction and Together Housing, is behind this application. The Nelson land is around 25 acres in size.

In next-door Brierfield, work is ongoing on the huge Brierfield Mill redevelopment, now called Northlight. The mixed-use project includes new apartments, offices, leisure, cultural spaces and a gin bar. The work is being done by Pendle Enterprise and Regeneration Ltd, a joint venture between Pendle Council and Barnfield Investment Properties.

Elsewhere, leisure centres face potential change in Pendle in 2024. The borough council currently has three publicly-owned leisure centres in Nelson, Colne and Barnoldswick, plus other outdoor facilities. Pendle Leisure Trust runs them on behalf of the council. It also manages some of the theatre facilities, such as The Muni.

In the past, an independent review had suggested that just one or two leisure centres should be run by Pendle Council. But because of Pendle’s geographic spread, it was felt two centres would be best. West Craven Leisure Centre could be kept and updated, and a brand new centre could be built at Seed Hill, replacing two existing leisure centres at Colne and Nelson.

However, following the 2023 local elections, Pendle Council is now under Labour and Lib-Dem control. These two parties have said they want to keep all three existing centres but make some other changes.

How things develop in 2024 will be of interest to many people. Pendle Council’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee was looking at the details this month.

Leisure centre maintenance, staff and energy cost are among the many pressures faced by councils, as traditional government funding has been reduced over the past ten years. Some centres are being closed or transferred to other organisations.

In Rossendale, the borough council there has just transferred ownership of Whitworth Leisure Centre, which includes a pool, to Whitworth Town Council. The Whitworth venue will now be run locally by a new community interest company. Rossendale Council still has other leisure and museum attractions managed by an arms-length leisure trust.