Demolition kicks off at Pendle Rise

With the 106,000 sq ft Lancashire shopping centre to be replaced in a £22m scheme, contracting firm Howard Stott has started removing the entrance canopy. The main building is set to follow in September.

The aged centre is being replaced with a 55,000 sq ft complex, delivered by Penbrook, a joint venture between Pendle Council and developer Brookhouse.

The revamp of Pendle Rise was the centrepiece of the council’s successful £25m Town Deal bid for Nelson, with £9m committed from the government to the scheme. Brookhouse has provided the additional £12.5m for the £21.5m project.

Cllr Asjad Mahmood, Leader of Pendle Council and Nelson Town Deal board member, said: “This is great news to finally see the work starting.

“Once the canopy has been removed, it will be all systems go and we will start to see the shopping centre disappear to make way for a brand new retail development.

“We will then be one step closer to seeing the transformation of Nelson’s town centre, which will attract investment, create jobs and provide our residents and visitors with a place to enjoy spending time in.”

Howard Stott Demolition started the soft strip-out of the centre in January.

The new centre will have parking for more than 150 cars and landscaped outdoor areas.

Stephen Barnes, chair of Nelson Town Deal, said: “We are getting closer to fulfilling our vision of providing the residents of Nelson and visitors to the town with a new and exciting shopping and leisure time experience.”

The Pendle Rise project team includes Pegasus, Urban Edge Architecture, ecologist Envance, highways consultant Mode, flood and drainage expert Weetwood, ground conditions specialist BEK, noise consultant Arcadis, and project manager Raise Partnership.

You can learn more about the project by searching reference number 23/0268/FUL on Pendle Council’s planning portal.