Building on the jobs front

The £3m expansion of one of East Lancashire’s largest employment sites could create up to 500 new jobs.

Plans to grow the Lomeshaye Industrial Estate alongside the M65 have been given the green light by the government’s Planning Inspector.

Pendle Council can now buy land adjoining the existing 40-hectare site through a Compulsory Purchase Order to create a new phase of development.

There are presently around 100 businesses on the site employing around 4,000 people.

Council leader Paul White said: “We shouldn’t underestimate how transformational this could be for our borough.”

“With this extension, we will be able to create the space to allow Pendle businesses to expand and to attract new businesses to our Borough, both of which will mean extra jobs for local people.”

Pendle Council has been working for a number of years to extend the business park. It says jobs for around 500 people will be safeguarded or created thanks to the Phase 1 extension and work will start in summer 2019.

Dean Langton, Pendle’s chief executive, said: “By working in partnership, we have secured £1.5m of funding from Lancashire County Council to support the delivery of the proposed Phase 1 extension to the existing Lomeshaye Industrial Estate.

“And their funding will be matched with £1.5m of investment from Pendle Council.”