Pendle News Room

Councillor Mohammed Iqbal, Leader of Pendle Council and Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, said:

“We’ve been working hard for a number of years to extend the successful business park to create jobs, support businesses and encourage growth.

“The latest award of the Local Growth Funding (Growth Deal) awarded to Lancashire Economic Partnership (LEP) means this can now become a reality.

“Our Jobs and Growth Strategy shows how our growth plans meet regional and national objectives.

“This gives us the best opportunity to access any available funding to stimulate further growth.

“We put forward our case for expanding Lomeshaye Industrial Estate and, acknowledging the lobbying done by Pendle’s MP Andrew Stephenson, I’m delighted this latest investment supports our aims.

“It’s a great outcome for Pendle’s ambitions for growth!”

Lomeshaye Industrial Estate in Nelson is one of East Lancashire's largest strategic employment sites within the M65 industrial corridor.  

The extension alone could accommodate up to 1,500 jobs and provide additional sites to help us attract new businesses to the area and encourage local companies to expand.

Edwin Booth, Chair of the Lancashire LEP, said: “Our £69.8m Growth Deal 3 allocation further confirms the ability of local partners to set out a truly ambitious and deliverable growth programme for Lancashire.

“In the coming years, Lancashire will play an even greater role in powering forward a successful North of England with local partners at the forefront of addressing the nation's productivity challenges."       

The £12m Burnley-Pendle Growth Corridor Improvements Scheme was funded by a previous Growth Deal.

Work has created additional capacity on the M65 industrial corridor supporting the future expansion of Lomeshaye Industrial Estate.

Councillor Iqbal added: “By making Pendle much better connected we expect to see more jobs, more industry and more financial security locally.

“The improvements to junction 12 were a vital step in making Brierfield Mill, now called Northlight, a major destination for the North West with our joint venture developer Barnfield.

"And there’s now improved access to Lomeshaye Industrial Estate, helping us to create more space for businesses which means more jobs for local people."

The exact amount of funding has yet to be confirmed by Lancashire Economic Partnership.

Notes to editors

Lomeshaye Industrial Estate is currently home to 118 businesses and employs more than 3, 700 people.

The £12 billion Local Growth Fund provides local leaders with the cash they need to support locally determined projects. Under the fund, England’s 38 Local Enterprise Partnerships – made up of council leaders and business representatives – bid for investments based on local priorities.

Bids are highly competitive and to be successful, Local Enterprise Partnerships need to work with partners to agree strong and accountable governance and put forward proposals that boost growth and bring in private sector funding.

£7.3 billion of the £12 billion Local Growth Fund has already been allocated to more than 1,000 projects across England – helping to build vital infrastructure, improve skills and create thousands of jobs.

Now this latest allocation of £1.8 billion government investment – including £69.8 million in Lancashire – will help do even more to benefit the lives of local people across the country.