Memorandum submitted by Hyndburn Borough
Council
BRITISH WATERWAYS AND HYNDBURN BOROUGH COUNCIL:
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CLAYTON TRIANGLE
1. EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
1.1 Together with West Accrington and Church
the small town of Clayton le Moors is within the Department of
Communities & Local Government Housing Market Renewal (HMR)
Pathfinder programme. Hyndburn Borough Council has prepared an
Area Development Framework (ADF) as the investment strategy for
the town. The ADF recognises the Clayton Triangle as a key project,
whilst the subsequent Regeneration Plan, also commissioned by
Hyndburn Borough Council, proposed that the development of the
triangle was the key means of achieving sustainable regeneration
within the town and borough.
1.2 The development site is approximately
7.9 acres, located on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Clayton le
Moors, Accrington, Lancashire. The site is split into three land
ownerships—British Waterways, Hyndburn Borough Council and
a private land owner, which forms the partnership group.
1.3 The partnership group has agreed a means
of achieving the development of the site, including the joint
appointment of consultants, the preparation of the planning application,
further land assembly, and community consultation.
1.4 The partnership between British Waterways
and Hyndburn Borough Council has prepared the way for considerable
private sector investment into the deprived ward of Clayton le
Moors. The net regeneration benefit for the ward and borough is
immense, the role of British Waterways in the process cannot be
underestimated, the partnership with British Waterways has bought
skills and experience that would otherwise not have been available
to Hyndburn Borough Council.
1.5 Hyndburn Borough Council considers that
the partnership with British Waterways offers a means of achieving
the wider regeneration of the canal, and the canal corridor, not
only within the context of the Clayton Triangle but also within
the Borough and Pennine Lancashire.
2. CONTEXT
2.1 In December 2003, as part of the East
Lancashire Housing Market Renewal (HMR) pathfinder processes,
Hyndburn Borough Council and partners commissioned the production
of an area development framework (ADF) for the Clayton le Moors
and Enfield area. The ADF incorporated extensive stakeholder consultation
and was produced in December 2003. It very clearly highlighted
the potential, the opportunities and the constraints faced by
partners in attempting to deliver renewal activities.
2.2 The nature of the ADF is one of identification
of local issues and priorities for action. The ADF is not concerned
with identifying feasible activities. The primary purpose of the
ADF is to act as the guide for public investment in the area.
In the first instance, the ADF formed the backdrop to a 2004 comprehensive
bid to the HMR strategic body, ELEVATE, for substantial funding
to tackle the issues highlighted.
2.3 The ADF indicated the potential for
the redevelopment of the Clayton Triangle. The subsequent feasibility
Regeneration Plan study reinforced the potential role of the Triangle
as the most important strategic catalyst for the regeneration
of the area, due to its potential to:
— Significantly improve the environment
of the Triangle itself.
— Open up this length of the Leeds
Liverpool Canal for public enjoyment.
— Provide a potentially high quality
housing area within Clayton le Moors.
— Bring a significant number of new
residents into this characterful, but increasingly deprived, area
of Hyndburn.
— Provide further support for existing
local facilities and services in Clayton le Moors which desperately
need it.
— Help to enhance the image of Clayton
le Moors as an attractive place to live.
3. THE PROJECT
3.1 This paper provides an outline brief
on the proposed development of the Clayton Triangle, linking this
into the wider regeneration of Clayton le Moors.
3.2 The Clayton Triangle area which forms
the basis of this brief is located adjacent to the Leeds and Liverpool
Canal, to the North of the A678 Blackburn Road, Clayton-le-Moors,
in the Borough of Hyndburn. It lies approximately 2 minutes from
Junction 7 of the M65 motorway and is bounded to the east by the
A680 Whalley Road.
Situated in an area of mixed use, the site comprises
approximately 3.18 hectares (7.87 acres) which are in the ownership
of the members of the partnership group. The site comprises areas
of cleared grassland and open space, a small manufacturing unit
and a specialist vehicle recovery facility. In addition, the site
incorporates two listed buildings—one warehouse with an
attached office and house on the western side of the Canal, and
a former stable block on the eastern side. Both are Grade 2 listed.
Combined the two buildings comprise four separate grade 2 listings.
3.3 The Clayton Triangle is a key opportunity
to secure substantial private sector investment and thereby facilitate
the sustainable regeneration of the Clayton le Moors HMR area.
While a mixed development would be preferred, for the most part,
this development opportunity needs to encourage housing, in order
to:
— Maximise the economic return to the
current landowners, some of which can be reinvested in other local
projects, thus securing sustainability.
— Provide highly visible regeneration
that will encourage other investors and other forms of investment
in the area.
— Increase demand for local services—retail,
health, school places, nursery places, etc.—arising from
the increased number of local households.
— Provide an improved sense of community
and community investment.
3.4 The opportunity now exists to facilitate
and encourage this major development:
— BW, the Council and the private land
owner have prepared a joint development brief.
— Urban design consultants have now
been jointly appointed by the partnership, the plans are well
prepared to draft stage, with community consultation and planning
application expected by early summer.
— BW has purchased a mill site immediately
adjacent to the site with a view to assembling a larger and more
useable site—a more strategic approach.
— HBC has identified alternative sites
for land owners commercial interests.
4. CONCLUSION
4.1 The regeneration opportunity exists
to exploit the redevelopment of the Clayton Triangle as a catalyst
for the strategic regeneration of Clayton le Moors and the borough
of Hyndburn. Present activities in the area such as low grade
employment uses underplay the potential of the waterside and strategic
thinking is required to ensure that the Triangle does not inhibit
future regeneration opportunity in this wider area. The Leeds
and Liverpool Canal is a unique resource for Clayton le Moors
and the regeneration of the Clayton Triangle represents a significant
opportunity to enhance the canal corridor, integrating it with
the district centre and increasing the awareness and usage of
it by the local community.
4.2 The partnership between Hyndburn Borough
Council and British Waterways presents a significant opportunity
for joint working and delivering regeneration objectives. It is
anticipated that the partnership with British Waterways will be
enhanced where possible to include wider regeneration objectives.
4.3 The Committee is requested to encourage
British Waterways to continue its regeneration work in the nature
described above.
Hyndburn Borough Council
March 2008
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