Evidence base documents

Retail and leisure capacity study

The Pendle Retail and Leisure Capacity Study 2023 (RLCS) considers our future needs for retail and leisure to help ensure the continued vitality of our town centres. It is an important part of the evidence for the Pendle Local Plan.

The objectives of the study are to provide an assessment of:

  • the current retail, leisure and entertainment offer in the Borough
  • the future needs for additional retail and commercial leisure facilities;
  • the capacity of Pendle's town and local shopping centres to meet additional demand; and
  • the issues to be addressed in the Pendle Local Plan.

The study was commissioned to consider changes to forecast expenditure arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit, and the implications of new population data from the 2021 Census.

Information relating to the borough’s network of town centres and their boundaries was reviewed as part of the plan-making process.

Occupancy survey

Pendle has six town and local shopping centres.

Town centres

  • Nelson
  • Colne
  • Barnoldswick

Local shopping centres

  • Brierfield
  • Barrowford
  • Earby

A survey of premises in each of these centres is made in June each year. The results, which highlight recent changes and long-term trends in occupancy and vacancy, are published each December in the Authority Monitoring Report (AMR).

The Pendle Retail Survey takes an in depth look at retail activity in the borough but is only published occasionally. The last update was published in July 2011.

For archived copies of these reports please email planningpolicy@pendle.gov.uk. A charge may be made for copying and postage.