Pennine Lancashire hosts national mill event

5 May 2010 13:08 Comments (0)

Economic development company, Regenerate Pennine Lancashire, is hosting this year's National Mills Conference, in the hope of inspiring regeneration professionals from all over the country to consider new uses for some of the area's hidden gems.

Pennine Lancashire was once at the heart of the country's cotton production, and a wide range of mill buildings has survived to tell this story, from small-scale mills tucked away in rural valley locations to large complexes that dominate their urban surroundings.

The conference will give delegates the chance to find out more about development opportunities and how to make them viable, learning from real-life examples of success stories.

Jo Clark, development manager for Regenerate, said: "There are some excellent examples here of mills successfully brought back into use, from shopping facilities and apartments to offices and a creative industries hub. But the conference will help us shine a light on the many opportunities that still lie across the landscape of Pennine Lancashire, waiting to be rediscovered."

The Pennine Lancashire National Mills Conference takes place in Accrington on 11 May, with the involvement of the six Pennine Lancashire local authorities – Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rossendale – English Heritage, Lancashire County Council, the Heritage Trust for the North West, and conference organisers NGCS.