Pendle council buys local shopping centre

Pendle Borough Council has bought the 100,000 sq ft Pendle Rise shopping centre as part of wider plans for its redevelopment of Nelson Town. The council bought the mall with its development partner Brookhouse and plans to invest £12.5m in knocking down the 1960s-built property and replacing it with a 55,000 sq ft mixed-use scheme, comprising a supermarket and nine other commercial units. A further £9m of investment from the council’s £25m Town Deal funding will also go into the project. Rose Rouse, chief executive of Pendle Borough Council, said taking ownership of Pendle Rise was key to the redevelopment of Nelson town centre. “This means we can radically improve the town with high-quality architecture and landscape design,” said Rouse. “Along with a much stronger retail offer for Pendle people, it will provide a great place for our community to meet.” Phillip Spurr, Pendle Borough Council’s director of place, said: “The vision to redevelop Pendle Rise shopping centre site stems from extensive public consultation carried out as part of the Nelson masterplan. Most people who gave their views wanted to see Pendle Rise tackled as a priority.” The council has appointed Beddows to run the centre pending demolition. Tenants in Pendle Rise, which include Boots, Greggs and Specsavers, will all relocate to new premises in the town. Pendle council has been trying to acquire the property since 2022. The centre was owned by a private landlord Mohammed Asjad Arnold, who was prosecuted during the drawn-out acquisition process for failing to respond to section 16 notices. Axis Property Consultancy advised Pendle on the acquisition. More retail planning in Pendle >>