Plans for 129 homes in Nelson and a 16-unit business park in Fence to be debated

At Fence, applicant Pendle Business Park Ltd, based in Preston, has submitted design details for up to 16 new commercial units and landscape work at Wheatley Laithe Farm in Barrowford Road.

Outline planning permission was granted for a development there in 2019. Now approval on ‘reserved matters’ such as the site layout, appearance, scale, access and drainage are being looked at. This does not represent full planning permission.

Pendle Business Park Ltd is working with Blackburn-based agent Campbell Driver Partnership on the proposals. Metal cladding, timber and some stone materials are suggested as building materials to be sympathetic to both traditional buildings and also have a link to modern developments at nearby Lomeshaye Industrial Estate.

Pendle Council’s Barrowford & Western Parishes Area Committee will look at the application at its meeting tonight.

A planning report for councillors highlights various points to consider including comments from a heritage officer about the potential limited visual harm to the significance of the nearby grade II listed Grains Barn Farm and Old Laund Hall. Extra trees and a limited range of colours for the new buildings are suggested.

Objections to the Fence scheme include concerns about the impact on public footpaths, green belt and noise concerns. But planning officers are recommending approval of the reserved matters, with conditions.

Elsewhere in Pendle, councillors on the borough’s Nelson area committee are due to considering an application for 129 homes on land at Further Clough Head, Bamford Street, Nelson. The application is from Pendle Council’s joint venture PEARL Together with Lancashire developers Barnfield and Together Housing.

The north-west boundary lies close to the grade II-listed Further Clough Head Cottage while Lower Townhouse Farm is 300metres to the north-east. The eastern boundary is next to the Southfield conservation area, which is open land at this section, a council report states.

Objections include the loss of farmland, criticism of house designs and claims that there are vacant homes elsewhere which should be tackled.

Because this is a large planning application, a decision will be taken by Pendle’s more-senior Development Management Committee at a later date. However, the area committee can give its comments.