Pendle News Room

A six-week public consultation is being launched today, (Friday 2 September) to consider the final version of the Plan.
 
It gives residents, businesses and other interested parties a chance to have their say on the proposals in the Plan which will guide future growth and development.  
 
In October 2016 Colne Town Council asked Pendle Borough Council to formally designate the parish as a neighbourhood area, so it could prepare a Neighbourhood Plan. 

A steering group was established made of councillors from each ward and local community groups. They have worked to draft new planning policies for the area. 

Neil Watson, Pendle Borough Council’s Planning Economic Development and Regulatory Services Manager, added: “Following two previous consultations, the Town Council has now submitted what it considers to be the final version of its Neighbourhood Plan.  

“Before we pass this on to an independent examiner, local residents, businesses and other interested parties must have an opportunity to review and comment on its proposals.” 

Councillor Sarah Cockburn-Price, who led first the Working Group, then the Advisory Committee for Colne Town Council, added: “The Colne Neighbourhood Plan is one of the largest of its kind in the country.  

“It’s an ambitious document, which sets out a vision for the future of Colne, protecting heritage assets, green spaces and welcomes appropriate development. 

“This consultation provides residents in Colne a chance to read the Plan and to tell us if they are happy with what it says. 

“Once the Plan is formally adopted it will be taken into consideration when determining applications for planning permission in the area.” 

The policies in the Neighbourhood Plan address a wide range of issues. They also allocate a number of sites for new housing, and these have the potential to provide 177 new homes up to 2030.
 
Whilst welcoming new development, in the right locations, above all the Plan has sought to preserve the distinctive local character of the town and to protect the open countryside from inappropriate development.  

A number of Local Green Spaces, which are considered to have great significance for the local community, have been identified and these will be protected from development. 

The public consultation runs for six weeks and all comments must be received by Pendle Borough Council by 5pm on Monday 17 October 2022.  

Copies of the Neighbourhood Plan and its supporting documents are available to view in person and online: 
•    Pendle Council’s website www.pendle.gov.uk/neighbourhoodplans  
•    Colne Town Council website www.colnetowncouncil.org.uk/services/neighbourhood-plan 
•    Number One Market Street in Nelson 
•    Colne Town Hall 
•    Colne Library 
•    Tubbs of Colne 

Following the public consultation the Neighbourhood Plan, and all the comments received in response to this consultation, will be sent to the independent examiner appointed to conduct the formal examination of the Colne Neighbourhood Plan. 

The Examiner will normally recommend that the Plan proceeds to a public referendum, subject to certain amendments. 

Anyone registered to vote in the area covered by the Neighbourhood Plan will then be entitled to vote in a public referendum.  

If a simple majority of votes are in favour of the Neighbourhood Plan (i.e. over 50% of those voting), it will become a consideration in the determination of planning applications from that day onwards.