Haslingden bids for £2.6 million makeover
CHRIS GEE
A£2.6 MILLION regeneration project which could provide a much-needed shot in the arm to Haslingden has been greeted with optimism in the town.
Rossendale council with the Haslingden Taskforce Group have applied to the Heritage Lottery Fund to support the Haslingden Townscape Heritage project.
The project would see the Deardengate area and surrounding streets designated as a conservation area. Its aim, similar to ongoing work in Bacup, is to see improvements and a uniformity to shop fronts and signs, with the hope of attracting new, unique businesses and bringing back into use empty retail and business property.
The bid also identifies four principal buildings around the Deardengate crossroads which have ‘great potential’ for the future of Haslingden – 55 Deardengate, 2-4 Manchester Road, The Commercial Hotel and The Black Bull Hotel.
Claire Curran, proprietor of both the Ruby and Daisy Boutique and Room Deardengate cafe bar, hopes the bid is a sign that the town is on the up.
She said: “Any investment will be welcomed and I agree it’s an up and coming town centre. It would be a good idea to have maybe a monthly market on the street as I think that would attract visitors.”
The boost comes after Historic England said it would place the area on the ‘at risk’ register at its next review unless there was an intervention promoting Haslingden’s architectural features.
The taskforce is made up of local business representatives and councillors and ●● Deardengate in Haslingden and businesswoman Jeanna Hilton, who is one of the people to welcome the proposal has already been awarded £100,000 from the council.
Coun Granville Morris, who sits on the taskforce, said: “There is great potential for Haslingden town centre and already some excellent independent businesses.
“Elsewhere in Rossendale we are seeing massive capital investment in Rawtenstall, and the success of the heritage money investment in Bacup.
“It’s about time Haslingden got its fair share in the shape of some investment.”
Jeanna Hilton, who runs Burgess Worden Opticians on Deardengate, said: “We have just decided to upgrade our shop front so this may come a little late for us, but I see this shopping area as up and coming.
“My ideas for improving Deardengate would be bet- ter street lighting, improved car parking and possibly making the road one way at the top end.”
Rossendale council leader Alyson Barnes said investment in Valley towns has been one of their priorities.
She said: “Even though we’re in tough times and there are not as many funding opportunities out there, this council has a really good track record of successfully bidding new money.
“We have done a lot of work in Haslingden already through the Haslingden Taskforce such as the new outdoor gym at Victoria Park, improvements to parking including new parking signage and the town trail leaflet, but we want to do more.
“We have made an external funding bid which if approved would massively benefit the town.
“If successful, we will also commit further funding from ourselves to ensure we have plenty of investment to really bring further positive changes to Haslingden so it is a town residents and businesses are proud of and people want to visit and invest in.”
Councillors were set to discuss the bid at Wednesday night’s full council meeting as we went to press. The outcome of the application is expected in late May. for