Ambitious plans to create a new £32m learning, living, working, leisure and cultural destination for the North West entered an exciting new stage this week.
Planning permission has been granted for 52 apartments in the iconic Victorian mill and Northlight residents will also have hidden basement parking .
Office spaces for businesses and organisations within the Grade II listed mill, which was built in 1838 alongside the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, also got the go ahead.
Plans to develop a range of eating and drinking businesses within the former Brierfield Mill complex were also approved.
Tim Webber, Managing Director of Barnfield and a PEARL board member said:
“As Pendle based developers with our HQ within sight of Northlight, working to transform this historic landmark has been a labour of love for us.
“We’re immensely proud of the work we’ve done to sensitively convert the historic office buildings to create the new Lancashire Adult Learning Centre, which opened it’s doors last month.
“And we’re working at full speed ahead to develop excellent sport facilities for Burnley FC in the Community which will open at Northlight in the spring.
“Brierfield’s arts organisation In-Situ will open their innovative garage site in the spring as an arts and culture hub for Pendle.”
“These are very exciting times for Northlight.” he stated.
“This will make our Grade II listed mill a great place to work, live and visit and will create hundreds of jobs,” stated Councillor Iqbal who leads on economic development for Pendle.
Councillor Naeem Ashraf, who chairs the Brierfield and Reedley Area Committee where planning permission for the exciting plans was approved, said:
“We support the transformation of Brierfield Mill into Northlight – this redevelopment is vitally important for our area.”
Pendle Enterprise And Regeneration Ltd (PEARL) is the joint venture company of Pendle Council and Barnfield Investment Properties which owns Northlight.
More information on Northlight is available on the new website www.pearlpendle.co.uk and photographs of the heritage mill and architects’ impressions of Northlight can be seen via http://www.pearlpendle.co.uk/northlight/gallery/
“It’s fantastic for Pendle to get the green light for this important next stage in the transformation of Northlight said Councillor Iqbal who is the chairman of PEARL.
The development of Northlight has been made possible thanks to a range of funding including £4.2m from the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Growth Deal Funding, £2.15m from Lancashire County Council and £1.5m from Pendle Council.
Councillor Iqbal added:
“We’ve bought properties on Clitheroe Road adjoining Northlight, including the derelict Railway Tavern, a garage and car sales business through Compulsory Purchase.
“All these properties will now be demolished to provide an attractive landscaped car park for Northlight,” he explained.
“People have been asking why there’s been a delay, but we need to wait for the utility companies to disconnect the services.
“Once that’s done PEARL can arrange to get the buildings safely demolished and we’ve lined up a demolition contractor to start work.
“The demolition will really help to open up views of the mill from Railway Street and will be another exciting step forward!”
