A DEAL has been struck by Lancashire Enterprise Partnership (LEP) which should put the final piece of funding in place for the £30.4 million redevelopment of Brierfield Mill.

Board members have signed off a £3.7 million grant for the venture, now known as Northlight, which looks set to be home to a hotel, care home, apartments and a leisure complex, with a nearby marina and bar.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The former home of medical supplies manufacturer Smith and Nephew has become a pre-election football in recent weeks, with Pendle Conservative MP Andrew Stephenson highlighting continuing government assistance and his Labour rival, County Councillor Azhar Ali, welcoming the LEP investment.

Cllr Ali said: “Despite all the money that has been promised by the government, the LEP, county council and Pendle Council have put this package together.”

Lord Tony Greaves, the Pendle Liberal Democrat peer, echoed Cllr Ali’s views on the move, which will enable PEARL (Pendle Enterprise and Regeneration Ltd) to take the scheme forward.

He said: “This really good deal has been put together jointly by Pendle Council and PEARL on the one hand, and the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership and Lancashire County Council on the other – in spite of the disappointing level of support from central government.”

Mr Stephenson said: “This just shows how little Azhar Ali knows about this scheme. The mill was bought for £1.6 million, using Assisted Area Status funding I helped to secure, and the Regional Growth Fund has allocated £1 milllion.

“The county council is providing £2 million and Pendle Council £1.5 million.

“The LEP is using the £250 million from the Lancashire Growth Deal, allocated by the government, and providing £3.7 million for Brierfield Mill.”

The MP said the LEP had originally failed to include the mill in its growth deal plans and he invited government minister Greg Clark to Pendle to cement his support.

An initial £8.9 million was sought by PEARL, the Pendle Council and Barnfield Construction development vehicle, which was turned down by the LEP.

Edwin Booth, the LEP chairman, said: “We listened to the business case behind this revised request for funding from Barnfield Construction and were convinced that a viable funding framework is now in place that will enable this exciting development to go forward.”