Pendle looks to refresh Local Plan

Revamped and extended guidelines setting out growth policies and identifying development sites for the years to 2040 are being prepared by the council.

Once approved, the policies and site allocations in the Pendle Local Plan will identify the amount and type of development needed and where it can take place.

The core strategy that forms part one of Pendle’s existing Local Plan was adopted in 2015 to broadly set out the volume and desired lcoationss for development up to 2030. This was then reviewed to ensure conformity with the National Planning Policy Framework in 2019.

Part two, loooking at specific site allocations and development policies, was consulted on last year, but December’s full council meeting decided that the impact of Brexit and Covid should be taken more into account, and that the evidence base should be re-examined before a new single Local Plan is pursued.

Still in its early stages, the plan has now been discussed at the council’s policy & resources committee, with the broad intentions now due to go to the public and various statutory bodies for consultation on its scope and content.

A four-week public consultation is expected to take place within weeks, including a request for people to agree the scope of what the plan should contain.

Cllr Nadeem Ahmed, leader of Pendle Council, said: “The public consultation will ensure the Local Plan is up to date with any sites which are potentially suitable for development.

“Planning affects all of our lives – where we live, work and relax. It’s vital that as many people as possible are given the opportunity to share their views and help shape our new Local Plan so that it meets our needs for the future.”