£3.4m town cash bid gets the nod
Blueprint for Haslingden regeneration will now seek National Lottery cash
AMULTI- MILLION pound blueprint to transform Haslingden has been approved ready for a bid for National Lottery cash.
The scheme will be submitted early next year in the hope work can start in summer 2021.
Rossendale Council successfully secured £112,000 in December last year from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to develop plans to transform Upper and Lower Deardengate in the town, as well as improve parts of Manchester Road and Blackburn Road.
A detailed stage two bid for £3.4m, part of the Haslingden 2040 Vision and Masterplan, has now been approved by councillors.
The town’s MP Sara Britcliffe said the project was ‘exciting’.
Planned works in the lottery blueprint include:
A pedestrianised area at the northern end of Deardengate to create an event space for community activities such as Sunday artisan markets
A town square with restaurants, cafes and outdoor seating, secure parking for bicycles and landscaping around Cockerill Square
Creating the Big Lamp as a focal point, with the cobbles moved to new locations in the town centre to allow for contemporary setts to be introduced to new pedestrianised and shared spaces;
A shop front enhancement grant scheme
Investment in key heritage sites in Haslingden town centre.
A public consultation showed overwhelming support for the project, with 77 per cent of residents saying it would make the town centre more attractive.
It also revealed that 89 percent wanted historical architectural features enhanced on buildings.
Coun Alyson Barnes, leader of Rossendale Council, said: “I have made town centres the number one economic development priority.
“We set up the Haslingden Strategic Board specifically to bring forward exciting and new projects in the town centre and I’m pleased that this bid has been approved to be put forward by the council.”
Coun Adrian Lythgoe, chair of the board, said: “This exciting project will revitalise Haslingden town centre for residents, with new open spaces that will enable people to come together post Covid-19 to enjoy events and bring new life into the town”
Haslingden MP Sara Britcliffe, said: “Exciting times are ahead for Haslingden.
“I’m fully supportive of this innovative plan that will see an increase in events space, further support to local business and hopefully an increase in visitor’s numbers to Haslingden.”