PEOPLE in West Craven could help shape future plans for Pendle's vacant historic mills.

Pendle Borough Council wants to understand how old textile mills can be redeveloped to help them become community assets without losing their special heritage value.

And it’s asking people to say what they think of the borough’s historic textile mills, including in Barnoldswick, whether they think they are special and how they should be reused.

This will inform a design code which is being produced by the council to support the reuse of at-risk historic textile mills nationally.

It will show ways to transform mill sites to create new homes and business spaces with high-quality design and good conservation practice.

Neil Watson, Pendle's assistant director, planning, building control and regulatory Services, said: “Mills were once powerhouses of the industrial revolution and have shaped the landscape of the north of England.

“Textile mills are an important part of our country’s heritage and fundamental to understanding the history and culture of the communities they sit within.

“Hundreds of textile mills still exist in the north, including 93 in Pendle alone, but many are vacant or underused and at risk of loss, threatening local identity.

“We want to hear from you about what you think about our historic textile mills and how you think they could be reused.”

Heritage consultants and conservation architects, Donald Insall Associates, in partnership with HCUK, have been commissioned to produce the design code.

Rebecca Burrows, associate at Insall said: “Design Codes are an exciting new planning tool that will help local communities celebrate and reuse their historic buildings.

“We want to understand the challenges that owners and developers are facing when managing these sites, which will allow us to provide clear, illustrative and creative guidance for a new future.”

This project represents the first time anywhere in England that a group of historic buildings or industrial sites spread across a district has been given a design code to promote their reuse.

It will contribute to delivering more housing and jobs using brownfield land while preserving the greenbelt, as well as protecting the heritage and identity of communities in the borough.

There are 93 textile mills in Pendle and 158 mills in Lancashire - in 2021.

The project will focus on a number of in-depth case studies to aid understanding, including mills in Brierfield, Colne, Nelson and Barnoldswick.

A drop in session is due to take place at the New Road Community Centre, Earby on Wednesday (July 10) from 11am to 2pm.

There is also an online survey at www.pendle.gov.uk/mills