6. Community, Recreation and Leisure

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that the future needs of the community are catered for. Protection and enhancement of existing, and the provision of new community facilities including health, community and leisure centres, schools, police and fire are integral to the improvement of service provision and the success of both rural and urban communities in Pendle. This policy supports objectives in the Community Strategy, which sees the strengthening of local communities across the Borough leading to direct benefits for all of Pendle’s residents and the neighbourhoods in which they live.

New community facilities are proposed at the above sites. These sites have been allocated to safeguard them from inappropriate development, in a bid to improve service provision within the Borough. No permanent development will be permitted on the allocated sites other than for the purpose identified. Prospective developers of Yarnspinner’s Wharf should refer to the Development Brief⁴⁸ for the site.

⁴⁸ Borough of Pendle (2002) Yarnspinner’s Wharf, Carr Road, Nelson - Planning Brief. BoP 

Aside from the allocated sites, new facilities should be provided in line with Policy 25 for urban areas and Policy 28 for villages. The sequential approach (Policy 25) does not apply to Use Class C2. In exceptional circumstances new community facilities may be permitted outside a settlement boundary. Only where it can be shown that no alternative site exists in the town of the proposal, will new facilities for community benefit be considered on sites beyond a settlement boundary. In villages there must be a proven ‘need’ (Policy 28) for development beyond the settlement boundary. In cases where development is permitted beyond a settlement boundary, only the community facility will be permitted on the site, unless ancillary uses in accordance with Policy 25. New development should be designed so as to be inclusive of all those in the community, with good accessibility and sufficient parking for all modes of transport, without compromising road safety.

The loss of community facilities can affect quality of life. This policy seeks to prevent the change of use or redevelopment of community facilities. Non community use will be regarded as A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, B1 (a), (b), (c), B2, B8, C1 or C3 and non-specified Sui Generis (Policy 25). However, community facilities will be permitted to change to Use Class C1 under Policy 40. Change of use or redevelopment will be permitted where premises have lain vacant for over 1 year and where it can be shown that the premises have been adequately marketed for a community use or where new facilities are, or will be, provided in the local area. For villages see Policy 28.

Open space is beneficial toward the quality of life of Pendle’s residents. It can provide a venue for informal and formal outdoor sporting and recreational activities. The Council’s Outdoor Recreation Strategy suggests that open space, sport and recreation facilities can make a major contribution to ensuring that villages and towns are places in which people will choose to live. Consequently, this policy recognises the importance of existing open space by advocating protection in the first instance and a general presumption against net loss.

To inform the Local Plan review, an audit of all existing open space in Pendle was undertaken. The assessment highlighted surpluses and deficiencies on a Ward basis for the different typologies⁵⁰ of open space as defined in PPG17. Proposals involving the loss of open space will only be acceptable on Amenity Open Space Sites, on sites of the poorest quality as identified in the Open Space Audit and in Wards with an identified surplus. The development of any other open space typology will not be acceptable, unless replacement provision is provided which is of equal or improved community value, and has a similar population catchment.

⁵⁰ Typologies of open space include: parks and gardens, natural and semi natural greenspaces, green corridors, outdoor sport facilities, amenity green space, provision for children and young people, allotments, cemeteries and civic spaces.

The proposals map identifies all parks, outdoor sport facilities, school playing fields, children’s play areas, allotments, cemeteries and civic spaces. Amenity open space is identified on the proposals map for sites over 0.2 ha in size and within a settlement boundary. Any woodland site within a settlement boundary is shown on the proposals map. Other green spaces such as BHS, GHS, LNI, LNR or ancient woodland (all designated BHS in Pendle) are identified on the proposals map and included in Policy 4C. The Open Space Audit contains a full list of all the different typologies of open space in the Borough, both within and outside settlement boundaries.

This policy seeks to encourage new open space provision and improve existing provision, especially in those areas which are deficient of open space, as highlighted in the Council’s Open Space Audit⁵². The policy supports Objective 2 of the Council’s Recreation Strategy⁵³, which sees the poor provision of sports facilities affecting the ability of clubs to develop, and that low levels of playing space can have a detrimental effect on the promotion of healthy lifestyles for the residents of Pendle.

⁵² See Appendix 3 for details of how to obtain a copy of this document.
⁵³Outdoor Recreation Strategy (2003-2008) (BoP) available from the Parks, Cemeteries and Outdoor Recreation Department, Pendle Borough Council.

Proposals to create new open space provision in rural areas will be encouraged, provided that the development does not conflict with the interests of the rural environment. Such interests may include the openness and character of the landscape, nature and archaeological conservation, public
rights of way and residential amenity. Developers should refer to Supplementary Planning Guidance: Development in the Open Countryside (2002) and relevant policies in the Environment section. Care should also be taken if seeking to introduce ancillary buildings or flood lighting. Policy 8 deals with pollution control.

Monies from the Open Space Fund (Policy 21) will be used to provide new open space, and will be implemented in conjunction with the Parks, Cemeteries and Outdoor Recreation Department. The Open Space Audit will be used to prioritise areas which are in need of additional provision, and the
typology to be provided.

Maintenance, improvement and additional provision of public rights of way are integral to the management of the countryside, and are seen as forming vital links between rural communities, our urbanised areas and the wider countryside. They also help support the Borough’s tourism base and make the countryside accessible for informal recreation.

The Council will support the proposed Rights of Way Improvement Plan, produced by Lancashire County Council. This document will guide the improvement of existing provision and additional new provision of rights of way in Pendle. In addition the improvement of public rights of way to bridleways will be encouraged where appropriate.

New development proposals will be encouraged to support increased provision on site, especially where there is opportunity for improved access into the countryside. Acceptable alternative routes, on site or off, must be provided where new development conflicts with the interests of established public rights of way.

With the commencement of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, and specifically since August 2004, wider parts of Pendle have been open to legal right of access.

The inland waterways of Pendle are a unique asset. They form part of the environmental and cultural inheritance of past decades and contribute to the local distinctiveness of the areas through which they pass. Many areas of the canal corridor are now suffering from dereliction and decay, as the traditional industries have declined and any freight previously transported on the canal is now moved by road. 

The corridor study proposes a new vision and strategy which will drive the regeneration of the canal and redefine it as a key destination, important leisure attraction and as a focus for reinvestment, employment and recreation. In partnership with the planning process, the Canal Corridor Study seeks to exploit conservation and redevelopment opportunities at the following locations:

• Lob Lane Mill, Brierfield
• Whitefield Area, Nelson
• Yarnspinners Wharf, Nelson
• Foulridge Wharf, Foulridge

The Council’s Canal Corridor Development Strategy is an SRB6 project and is based on a community-led set of initiatives to improve the canal corridor for people living, working and visiting the area. The East Lancashire Spatial Strategy proposes a Regional Park for East Lancashire. The Regional Park philosophy is founded upon the sustainability concept that landscape development and countryside character are linked to rural and urban regeneration. The Council recognises that enhancement of the Leeds – Liverpool canal will contribute towards this concept.

The RSS supports the development of new Regional Park areas. The RSS states that a Regional Park should focus on the provision of informal outdoor recreation and should support urban renaissance activities. A strategy for East Lancashire⁵⁷ introduced the concept of a Regional Park for East Lancashire. Parts of Pendle are identified for intensive park land. The intensive park land will ‘provide a high quality environmental framework for urban regeneration and a radically improved recreation and leisure resource for local people’. Within the intensive park land woodland planting will be encouraged (Policy 14) and the Council will seek to exploit the natural environment for its recreation and tourist potential. In particular, the Council are seeking to introduce a Country Park or tourist centre within the intensive park area, carefully linked to existing reservoirs and within close proximity to the Leeds-Liverpool canal. Proposals which seek to enhance the canal corridor are supported through Policy 36. Proposals which seek to improve access to the open countryside for walking and cycling will be supported and are dealt with under Policies 35 and 30 respectively.

⁵⁷ East Lancashire Partnership (2003) A Spatial Strategy – 4th Draft.

Any proposal must be in line with the Council’s Supplementary Planning Guidance⁵⁹ and should have regard to the guidance contained in the Government’s Code of Best Practice on Mobile Phone Network Development. Telecommunications are an essential and beneficial element of life and the economy. Fast, reliable and cost effective, communications can improve the business environment and help firms stay competitive. Telecommunications can also reduce the need to travel and promote sustainable communities.

⁵⁹ Borough of Pendle (2002) Guidelines for the Control of Telecommunications Equipment. BoP. 

The purpose of this policy is to achieve a balance between facilitating development of the communications sector and protecting the environment, by encouraging the use of mast and site sharing. Any proposal must demonstrate that the applicant has explored the possibility of erecting antennas on an existing mast, or sharing an existing site. This is in line with the Council’s SPG.

It is essential for any application to minimise the impact of development on the environment, and for developers to consider the use of sympathetic design in their proposals. Size, materials and colour should respect the local environment, and new development should incorporate landscaping and screening where possible. The Council’s SPG details a number of different design solutions.

Proposals for development in the open countryside should also take account of the SPG on Development in the Open Countryside and policies on environmental designations contained in this Plan.

Horse keeping can create a number of benefits for rural areas. Through offering leisure opportunities to both residents and visitors, it is also a way by which people can learn about the countryside. It has been reported⁶³ that the keeping and riding of horses is gradually increasing, and that there is growing concern about the impact this is having on the countryside. The aim of thispolicy is to ensure that the impact of equestrian development on the appearance of the countryside is kept to a minimum and to ensure that proposals are in line with the Council’s SPG on Development in the Open Countryside. Buildings should be sited and designed to blend with their surroundings, and appropriate landscaping measures should be taken so as to limit the unsightly nature of jumps and equipment.

⁶³ The Countryside Agency (2001) Horse Pasture Management. CA 

Applicants will be expected to remove jumps and other associated equipment when not in frequent use, and provide landscaping schemes where necessary. Any proposal must also be accompanied by a Pasture Management Plan to ensure that the appearance of the countryside is maintained after completion of the development. The plan should include an assessment of possible erosion on the land, boundary and building maintenance, on site storage of manure and machinery, tree/ hedge damage and the measures which will be used to combat these impacts. PPG2 (Green Belts) requires the construction of new buildings to be limited to small stables. Consequently no larger equestrian development will be permitted in the Green Belt.

In Pendle, tourism is seen as particularly valuable in assisting the diversification of the economy and in providing a variety of employment opportunities. Balanced with this is the need to ensure that tourism is used as a positive force to help conserve and enhance the environment, whilst providing an improved quality of life through new and improved attractions and easy access to the countryside for both visitors and local residents. This applies to local tourism but also tourism located outside of the Borough boundary that may bring benefits to Pendle. For example, the Council support initiatives such as the Lancashire Hill Country and the Lancashire Witches Trail.

The Council will encourage the improvement of tourist facilities by supporting the extension of existing facilities in towns or small scale extension in villages or rural areas, subject to policies on the open countryside (Policy 1), AONB (Policy 2), Green Belt (Policy 3) and SAC, SPA, SSSI, BHS, GHS, LNR or LNI sites (Policies 4A-C).

The Council’s Tourism Strategy⁶⁶ sets out a number of actions for Pendle, including the encouragement of a family hotel, barn/camping provision and farm building conversions. This Policy encourages tourist facilities within town centres (in line with retail policies and the sequential approach). The Policy also allows for tourist facilities within villages or the open countryside, so long as such development respects the special environmental designations of the AONB, Green Belt, SAC, SPA, SSSI, BHS, GHS, LNR or LNI sites. New accommodation for tourists is supported in principle but will be restricted to appropriate locations. Appropriate locations for touring caravans/tent sites are dealt with in Policy 1 and Policy 24. Static caravan parks are not permitted. Hotel, B&B or self catering accommodation should be located within a town centre or local shopping centre, unless within a village or rural area where the proposal meets point 2 of this policy or complies with Policy 24, or part of a development scheme within the Regional Park area – proposed country park/centre (Policy 37). Major hotels will be encouraged to be located within town centres, in preference to elsewhere within the settlement boundary, and within the designated Country Park. Appropriate conditions will be placed on accommodation to restrict occupancy to short term tourist lets only.

Figure 7 – Community, Recreation and Leisure Sustainability Balance

⁶⁶ Borough of Pendle (1999) A Sustainable Tourism Strategy for Pendle. BoP