Pendle News Room

Over 1,500 comments have been received during the consultation period. 

Local residents have had their say on over 40 policies and possible sites for future housing and employment development.

Chief Executive Dean Langton said:
“The Local Plan, once agreed, will become the blueprint for planning decisions in Pendle over the next nine years.

“The Plan is guided by important priorities including addressing the challenge of climate change and the need to allocate sites for new jobs and housing.”

 Pendle Council’s Planning Manager Neil Watson said:
“We made a big effort to involve people in the process, getting in touch with over 4,000 contacts directly by email or letter.”

Posters were circulated to display on parish notice boards, in supermarket foyers and the waiting rooms of doctor’s surgeries.

Neil added:  “We also produced a short video to explain the consultation process, which was posted on our website and social media.

“The video was also used in targeted consultation with young people and proved to be extremely popular," he stated.
And over 100 people participated in the online workshops held during the consultation. 

Neil Watson added:
“The COVID-19 pandemic meant that the consultation for the Pendle Local Plan Part 2: Site Allocations and Development Policies had to take place online. 

“Despite some reservations, the format proved successful and was popular with many people.

“Many of the policies in the draft plan, such as those on design requirements; the need for new developments to address the climate emergency and people’s health and well-being, have been well received,” said Neil.

“As expected, it was the proposed sites for future housing development, which came under the greatest scrutiny.

 “In particular, the proposed housing allocation on the lower slopes of Gib Hill, between Nelson and Colne and the reserve sites at Halifax Road, Nelson, at Oaklands, Barrowford and Stoney Bank Road, Earby have brought in a lot of comments.

Dean Langton said: “I would like to thank everyone who took time to take part in our consultation.

 “All the comments we have received will be carefully considered by our planning officers over the next few months.

 “We will then publish a Consultation Statement setting out the Council’s response to each comment and, where necessary, highlighting how we will change our draft plan to address them.”

Pendle Council hopes to publish its final draft of the Local Plan by the end of 2021.

At that time there will be a final opportunity for people to comment on the plan, before it is submitted to the Secretary of State. 

Pendle Council will make no further changes to the plan at this time. The Secretary of State will send the draft plan, all the representations received in response to the consultation and any supporting evidence to a Planning Inspector who will conduct an independent examination of the plan.

The Examination of the Local Plan will hopefully take place in 2022, with adoption by councillors at the Full Council meeting later in the same year.