Demolition starts at Nelson’s new £1.7m Youth Centre site.

The existing Youth and Community Centre site on Leeds Road is to be the location for a new £1.7m Bradley Youth and Community Centre and also, it's hoped, for supported housing for young people.

Pendle and County Councillors , youth service staff and local teenage Youth Centre Helpers visited the site to mark the historic moment.

Councillor John David, leader of Pendle Council, said: "This is only the start for Bradley - major changes are taking place to improve this area of Nelson. It's good for local residents and it's good for Pendle."

He continued: "The old youth facilities have been less than adequate for a very long time. I'm delighted the youth of Bradley and Nelson are going to have much better facilities which will be to everyone's advantage."

County Councillor Alan Whittaker, Chairman of Lancashire County Council, said:

"I am delighted to be here as part of the County Council's involvement in Pendle, which dovetails so well with the many millions of pounds being invested in education.

"It will develop youth facilities and young people's housing in a way that really does put emphasis on the meaning of ' Lancashire : a place where everyone matters'."

Meanwhile Youth Centre Senior Helper Daniel Dean, 18, of Reedley said:

"It's good there are going to be more facilities. We'll be able to do more sports - at the moment our sports hall is so small."

The new Youth and Community Centre will offer modern premises including kitchen, coffee bar, internet cafe, social area, flexible spaces for curriculum group work and confidential services, health, fitness, dance, music, media and recording facilities.

Externally there will be new car/mini-bus parking, landscaping and hard surface games area with lighting.

The youth centre project has attracted funding including £1.3m from the Government's myplace programme. This aims to fund world-class projects in which young people have a say in the design and development of their own activities.

Bradley is one of Pendle Council's Housing Market Renewal areas.
Pendle Council recently started block improvement work on three nearby terraces (157 -169 and 154 - 174 Leeds Road and 161 -173 Chapel Street.), funded through Elevate.

Elevate Design and Development Manager Chris Standish said: "Elevate is really pleased to be a major partner in the regeneration of Bradley.

"The new Youth and Community Centre, alongside the supported accommodation building, is a key aspect of the Bradley Regeneration Initiative.

"Improvements are currently taking place to the adjacent housing, shop fronts, public spaces and the park and when completed will significantly improve the quality of life for residents."

The site re-development project is a multi-agency project with   Lancashire County Council, Pendle Borough Council, Pendle Housing, Elevate - the Housing Market Renewal agency for Pennine Lancashire, Twin Valley Homes, Pendle Action for the Community and youth charity SafeSpace.

*Two houses on the re-development site were the first properties to be demolished.

30/03/2009

For further information please contact:

 Fiona Finch, Communications Team, Pendle Council, Tel: 01282 661970   Fax: 01282 661630
  or Sue Becker in the Communications Team at  Lancashire County Council on 01772 533679