A long-anticipated planning application to refurbish Colne market hall does not yet meet the economic, design and public space boost that it and the wider town centre need for the future, Pendle councillors have said.
‘DESIGN HAS HAD LOTS OF CHANGES’ At the area committee Conservative Coun Ash Sutcliffe said: “This project is something I have been working on for some time. The Levelling-Up funding is given for very specific purposes and is part of work to boost Colne’s heritage quarter and night-time economy. “The detail is really important because we are not seeing the radical changes we originally envisaged. We know the market hall is loosing money. We know there are some good stall holders and good customer service. But will this encourage new businesses and the night-time economy? I’m not sure.
He wanted an ‘active’ front to the hall but also the sides could be improved, bringing benefits for neighbouring shops. She recalled raising concerns in the past about other Colne projects. She had described one past proposal for Hartley Square as like ‘putting lipstick on a pig’ and ‘looking like Northern Ireland in the 1960s’.
“Keeping a front shop unit was intended to appease a tenant. But that tenant is now looking at another prime site, which is good.”