Tell us what you think about Pendle’s historic textile mills

And it’s asking local people to say what you think of the borough’s historic textile mills, whether you think they are special and how you think they should be reused.

 

This will inform a design code which is being produced by the Council to support the reuse of at-risk historic textile mills nationally.

It will show ways to transform mill sites to create new homes and business spaces with high-quality design and good conservation practice.

Neil Watson, Assistant Director (Planning, Building Control and Regulatory Services), said: “Mills were once powerhouses of the industrial revolution and have shaped the landscape of the north of England.

“Textile mills are an important part of our country’s heritage and fundamental to understanding the history and culture of the communities they sit within.

“Hundreds of textile mills still exist in the north, including 93 in Pendle alone, but many are vacant or underused and at risk of loss, threatening local identity.

“We want to hear from you about what you think about our historic textile mills and how you think they could be reused.”

Two drop-in events are taking place on Wednesday 10 July, 11am – 2pm:

• In-Situ - The Garage, Northlight, Glen Way, Brierfield, BB9 5NH
• New Road Community Centre - New Road, Earby, BB18 6XA

You can also have your say by completing an online survey www.pendle.gov.uk/mills

Heritage consultants and conservation architects, Donald Insall Associates, in partnership HCUK, have been commissioned to produce the design code.

Rebecca Burrows, Associate at Insall said: “Design Codes are an exciting new planning tool that will help local communities celebrate and reuse their historic buildings.

“We want to understand the challenges that owners and developers are facing when managing these sites, which will allow us to provide clear, illustrative and creative guidance for a new future.”

This project represents the first time anywhere in England that a group of historic buildings or industrial sites spread across a district has been given a design code to promote their reuse.

It will contribute to delivering more housing and jobs using brownfield land whilst preserving the greenbelt, as well as protecting the heritage and identity of communities in the borough.

Key facts:

• There are 93 textile mills in Pendle (2021) and 158 mills in Lancashire.
• This project covers the textile mills of Pendle and will focus on a number of in-depth case studies to aid understanding, including mills in Brierfield, Colne, Nelson and Barnoldswick.
• The National Model Design Code defines a design code as a set of simple, concise, illustrated design requirements that are visual and numerical wherever possible to provide specific, detailed parameters for the physical development of a site or area.