Ground-breaking Work gets Underway in Nelson Town Centre

Work to radically improve Nelson Town Centre by recreating its High Street is set to start on Monday June 7th. 

Representatives from Pendle Council and its partners will come together to mark a significant step forward in this major £2.3m scheme.

They will kick-start the improvements by breaking the first piece of ground on Wednesday June 2 at 11am.

"We're looking forward to this work getting underway!

"It's been a long time in planning and the scheme will help to bring about a fresh new look to Nelson Town Centre," said Councillor Mike Blomeley, Pendle Council's new Leader.

"Putting the road back through the Town Centre is what traders, residents and Pendle Council have been wanting for years," he added.

Pendle Council has been granted £2.3m funding to recreate the High Street.

This has come from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) which contributed £1.34m.

And the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which is managed by the NWDA in the Northwest, has contributed £984,500.

The work will take around 12 months and will mean the Council can reintroduce slow moving traffic to the town centre.

A new pedestrian tree-lined boulevard will be created to provide a safe and enjoyable space for people on foot.

Meanwhile, existing on-street parking on Manchester Road will stay and more will be introduced on Leeds Road.

The new High Street will also include seating, signs and impressive up-lighting at ground level, which will light up key buildings. 

This project is another step towards completing the Nelson Town Centre Masterplan which was unveiled in 2006. 

And it will continue the successful design on the recently completed Market Street and Memorial Square, which received £911,000 from the NWDA.

Residents can view the designs at Number One Market Street. 

Councillor Blomeley added: "The recreation of the High Street is the key project in the Town Centre Masterplan.

"We're delighted to be able to continue the good work done on Market Street and get further investment underway in Nelson.

"It really will make a difference to the town, making it a great place to visit, shop and work."

Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive of the NWDA, said: "This is an important step forward in the continuing revitalisation of Nelson Town Centre.

"Opening up Manchester and Leeds Road will create the right conditions for future private sector investment, bringing new life to an area which is currently under-used and needs investment.

"Our previous investments in Nelson town centre - the ACE Centre, Number One Market Street, Memorial Square and Market Street - have all supported the town centre economy.

"These improvements will drive that ambition forward by creating a more attractive and more accessible location for business and retail developments."

The project is part of a Joint Investment Plan agreed between the NWDA and Pennine Lancashire Local Authorities. This aims to make the best use of public funds to meet local economic needs.

Councillor George Adam, Lancashire County Councillor, said:

"This announcement is the result of many years of hard work and good partnership working with Lancashire County Council and the funders. 

"The investment will make a huge difference to Nelson - encouraging people to come and enjoy the town centre both day and night."

Hanna Latty, Pendle Council's Town Centres Officer, stressed that the work will be done in stages to minimise disruption to the town. It will start at the bottom of Leeds Road.

She said: "We aim to maintain pedestrian and vehicle movement throughout the 12 month scheme.

"The first job will be to install a compound on Leeds Road to allow the contractors to gain access."

Hanna added: "We're pleased to say we will still be able to host the successful and growing Friday market.

"This will be temporarily located on the disabled parking bays on Manchester Road. 

"There's plenty of alternative disabled parking throughout the town, including spaces which have been improved on Booth Street car park."

Brian Bailey, member of the ERDF Programme Monitoring Sub Committee, said: "We're delighted to see work start on this important public realm scheme.

"In the spirit of ERDF this will improve the quality of the town centre offer and inject confidence in the local economy.

"The Committee is keenly aware of the importance of investing in the quality of places like Nelson Town Centre, perhaps now more than ever, to make them more attractive to local people, visitors, businesses and investors alike.

"It's an investment in the future of Nelson and the ERDF Monitoring Committee is proud to play a part."

For more information about this exciting project, contact Hanna Latty, Pendle Council's Town Centres Officer on (01282) 661677.