74 PENDLE
A PEARL THAT SHINES
Pendle’s pioneering joint venture company ‘Pearl’ has clocked up a staggering £87m of projects since it was established over a decade ago, building up a reputation for delivery that stretches well beyond the borough.
The success of the partnership approach adopted by the council and Barnfield Investment Properties was highlighted in a report last summer and it continues to be a driving force for regeneration.
Pearl’s flagship project is Northlight – the multi-million pound transformation of the iconic Brierfield Mill complex, protecting the Grade II building’s heritage while opening up a new chapter in its history.
The partnership has also resulted in more than 240 new houses being built or brought back into use and over 100,000 square feet of commercial floor space being built or refurbished.
Other successes include work to extend the Lomeshaye Industrial Estate to help businesses expand or re-locate in Pendle.
Tracy Clavell-Bate, head of development and acquisitions at Barnfield, says the joint venture approach brings projects out of the ground that would otherwise not be viable.
She adds: “We have bought investments in Colne town centre itself. We own the shopping parade, we bought that as a strategic purchase to bring the right people and the right companies into the town centre.
“Northlight is creating a hub which is spilling out into Pendle. Without the partnership a lot of these projects would never have happened.”
Pendle’s chief executive Rose Rouse says: “The JV approach really works for us because of the low land values that we’ve got here.
“Finding a partner to work with like Barnfield has enabled these sites to be unlocked, jobs to be created and regeneration to take place, raising the aspirations of people and the pride around those areas as well.
“We’ve had an incredibly fruitful relationship and it’s been amazing. Northlight is incredible, the latest housing development that’s been built at Harrison Drive in Colne is incredible, it will provide affordable eco- homes for people and that’s just fantastic.”
She adds that she continues to champion the approach nationally to other local authorities as a “great model” and says: “We’ve actually just procured another joint venture partner called Brookhouse. We’re working with them on the town centre in Nelson.
There’s nothing beats skills providers and employers coming together to co-create talent for the future
“It is about bringing in that expertise. For the public sector it also brings in deliverability, because you’ve already got that partner procured, so you’re good to go. If an opportunity comes along, you’re really quick to move on it.”
That partnership ethos could make a difference in other areas. Lisa O’Loughlin of Nelson and Colne College says: “It about co-creation of vision, ambition and then putting projects in place that sit under it.
“From a skills perspective, there’s nothing beats skills providers and employers coming together to co-create talent for the future, it’s what will make this county a different place.”
Louisa Mayor of Pendleside Hospice says: “Partnership is one of the big words with us at the moment. Obviously, we partner up with the NHS for our services, but one of the big things we want to look at as well is partnerships with business.”
GOING OFF THE RAILS
When it comes to levelling up projects the re-opening of the Skipton to Colne railway line looks to tick all the right boxes.
However, there has been little indication that campaigners are any further forward in achieving their vision of improved trans-Pennine travel and all the economic benefits that could bring to areas like Pendle.
They say opening up the abandoned route will allow passengers from East Lancashire to travel directly into Leeds in less than 60 minutes. But is anyone in Whitehall currently interested in the vision?
It opens us up to Yorkshire
and that would be an incredible corridor for businesses and for people and for skills
Frustrated Pendle councillors have now called for “government clarity” when it comes to the prospect of the 11.5-mile link, which was closed in 1970, being re-instated.
Rose Rouse, Pendle Council’s chief executive, says the council “really wants to get behind” and support the campaign. She says re-opening the route would be a “game-changer” for the borough.
And she adds: “It opens us up to Yorkshire and that would be an incredible corridor for businesses and for people and for skills.”
Improved infrastructure is a key issue for Pendle. Rose says: “We hear from a lot of businesses that it is difficult getting goods around the borough because there are some real blockages, around the Colne area for example.”
Chris Smith, managing director of Nelson based Pendle Engineering, says the line is already there and “we just need to do it”.
He adds: “We’ve had ministers in Colne, we’ve had senior politicians in the area saying how good it is going to be for us. So, what’s changed?
“Look at HS2 and the amount of money going on there and yet Colne to Skipton is unaffordable. It would be nice to see government have some common sense on the matter.”
James Hartley, commercial director at Businesswise Solutions, says: “We’ve got to make it easier to commute to these big cities, so the link across to Yorkshire is a no brainer as it opens up Leeds.”
Kieron Higginson, director at Brierfield business LED Electrical, believes public transport is a major issue for the area.
He says: “You’ve got a train line that takes you an hour and a half to get to Preston and it takes 25 minutes in the car. The main towns need joining up properly, we also need buses to connect with trains.”
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