PARKER STREET CORNER DEVELOPMENT

As was detailed last summer during a consultation by Gleeson Homes, Parker Street corner is intended to become part of the new development along the canalside which includes Wheatfield Mill and the site of Gaskells Carpets. Several residents are now understood to have started a petition to Hyndburn Borough Council against this move.

Cabinet member for Housing, Cllr Clare Cleary, said, "The development is still going through the planning process and an application has been lodged by a group of residents for Parker Street corner to become an Asset of Community Value. If they are successful in the process then they will have to buy the land and maintain it themselves from that point onwards. Communities such as Belthorn have undertaken similar exercises and held productive talks with developers."

Cabinet member for Parks and Open Spaces, Cllr Ken Moss, said, "By 2018 HBC will have lost 73% of their annual funding so unfortunately we are going to see more pieces of underused land sold off. No one is happy about this but unfortunately we don't have the money anymore to simply carry on maintaining every grassed area. Parker Street corner is lovely but regrettably it is little more than a dog toilet at present."

Cllr Moss added, "It is a shame that the objectors didn't come to meet with Gleeson Homes when they were invited. The Rishton Councillors are more than happy to chat about what can realistically be done if they're genuinely serious about taking on this land but proper discussion is much better than a petition. Up to now we haven't been asked to take part in any public meetings."

Gleeson Homes have already made an offer on the site as part of the development. The process for determining an Asset of Community Value can take up to six months and the land will not be developed while this is ongoing.

If the land is ultimately developed then facilities such as the clock, flagpole and wooden animals at the corner will all be relocated over the bridge.