NWDA hands over £4.9m for Burnley development

  The Northwest Regional Development agency has awarded a grant of £4.9m towards the development of the £300m Weavers’ Triangle scheme in Burnley, Lancashire.   The funds will allow Burnley council to acquire landholdings in the area in order to assemble the development site under its sole ownership.   Weavers’ Triangle is a Victorian industrial district covering a 54-acre site along a 0.9-mile stretch of the Leeds Liverpool Canal.   A mixed-use scheme including business space, residential, retail, leisure and cultural uses is proposed.   Mark Hughes, executive director for economic development at the NWDA, said: “The Weavers’ Triangle in Burnley town centre has real potential through making use of its rich heritage and canal-side location, to create a quality environment for new business investment, new jobs and other uses in order to diversify and expand the town’s existing offer.”   Gordon Birtwistle, Leader of Burnley Council, added: “An exciting scheme that should have already been developed now will be developed.   “When the economy picks up we will be ready, and Weavers’ will be ready, to attract developers and continue driving Burnley forward.”   Planning permission is already in place for more than 53,000 sq ft of commercial floorspace, 43,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space and 237 residential units within the existing buildings that have been acquired.   A private sector development partner has yet to be appointed for the Weavers’ Triangle scheme.   david.quinn@rbi.co.uk