Green infrastructure

Local Green Space is a planning designation. It offers sites that are important to a local community special protection against development. 

Once designated the development restrictions that apply to the Green Belt, also apply to Local Green Space. Development cannot take place except in very special circumstances. 

How do sites qualify for designation? 

The Open Spaces Society website answers questions about how a site can qualify as a Local Green Space. The key requirements are that sites must be: 

1. Close to the community they serve 
2. Local in character and not an extensive tract of land 
3. Special to the local community in terms of:  
   • Beauty 
   • Historic significance 
   • Recreational value 
   • Tranquility 
   • Richness of wildlife 

If a site is subject to an existing planning policy designation (for example Green Belt or Open Space) we will consider if any extra local benefit is gained through its designation as Local Green Space.  

How are sites designated? 

Local Green Space can only be designated through the preparation of a Local Plan or a Neighbourhood Plan. 

The designation cannot be used to undermine the plan-making process, which may need the allocation of land for development.  

How to nominate sites? 

For designation as Local Green Space, you should contact either: 

• Pendle Council, who are responsible for preparing the Local Plan 
• Your Parish or Town Council, to see if they are preparing, or updating, a neighbourhood plan. 

What have we done so far? 

36 sites are already designated as Local Green Space in the neighbourhood plans for Trawden Forest, Barrowford, Kelbrook and Sough, and Colne. 

The public consultation on the Pendle Local Plan was held between 23 June and 18 August 2023. We invited further site nominations from all of the town and parish council’s in Pendle. 

55 more Local Green Space Sites were put forward for consideration. These sites have been visited and assessed by planning officers. 

What’s happening next? 

The Local Green Space Report and Methodology sets out our initial findings. The report was considered by the Council’s Executive on 18 October 2023 and is now published for comment.

Each site that has been suggested as being suitable for designation as Local Green Space can viewed on our Local Green Space Site Nominations map.

Please send comments or additional evidence relating to the sites in this document to planningpolicy@pendle.gov.uk or 

Planning Policy
Town Hall
Market Street
Nelson
BB9 7LG

The deadline for comments is 12:00 noon on Monday 27 November 2023.

The deadline for site nominations has closed. This consultation does not provide an opportunity to submit new sites for consideration.