Local Plan (Fifth Edition)

The current local plan is the Pendle Local Plan 4th Edition 2021-2040.

Planning regulations, introduced in March 2026, require the Council to announce its intention to start work on a new local plan.

The Pendle Local Plan 5th Edition 2025-2045 is expected to be adopted in April 2029.

What does a Local Plan do?

In England the planning system is plan-led.

Decisions on whether to grant, or refuse, applications for planning permission are taken in accordance with the statutory Development Plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

The Development Plan for Pendle currently includes the:

• Pendle Local Plan 4th Edition 2021-2040 (2025)
• Joint Lancashire Minerals and Waste Local Plan – (2009 / 2013)

Neighbourhood Plans, where these have been adopted:

• Trawden Forest (2018)
• Barrowford (2019)
• Kelbrook and Sough (2022)
• Colne (2023)

The Government requires Pendle Borough Council, in its role as the local planning authority, to prepare a local plan. It identifies broad locations for future growth, allocates specific areas of land for development, and sets out detailed planning policies against which all new development proposals will be assessed.

The local plan must be consistent with national policy, including the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which seeks to promote sustainable development. 

Pendle Borough Council adopted its first Local Plan in January 1999 and is now preparing the Pendle Local Plan 5th Revision 2025-2045.

Notification of intention to commence the preparation of a local plan

Prepared by

In accordance with Regulation 19 of The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026, Pendle Borough Council gives notice that it is preparing a new Local Plan.

Geographical area

The local plan will cover the whole of the area administered by Pendle Borough Council, as shown on the map below.

Document title

The local plan will be referred to as the Pendle Local Plan 5th Edition. It will cover the 20-year period from 2025/26-2045/46.

A pdf version of this ‘notice of commencement’ is available to download via the link below:

• Notice of intention to commence the preparation of a local plan (pdf)

Publication

This notice was published on Tuesday 30 June 2026

Availability

The timetable for preparing the Pendle Local Plan 5th Edition can be viewed on the Pendle Council website at:

• www.pendle.gov.uk/lp5

Copies of the timetable are also available at the following locations during their normal opening hours:

• Planning Office, Number One Market Street, Nelson BB9 7LJ
• Nelson Library, Market Square, Nelson BB9 7PU
• Colne Library, Market Street, Colne BB8 0AP
• Barnoldswick Library, Fernlea Avenue, Barnoldswick BB18 5DW

Copies of the timetable are also available on request by contacting

• planningpolicy@pendle.gov.uk

Plan-making

The 30-month plan making process is expected to commence on:

• Friday 30 October 2026

Further information

If you have any questions, you would like answering, please contact:

• planningpolicy@pendle.gov.uk

Data Standard

To meet the requirements of The Planning Data (England) Regulations 2026, we also provide information on the local plan in a CSV file format.

This data is provided under the Open Government Licence. 

Local plan.csv