Former Pendle scrapyard could be turned into site for 'travelling showpeople'

Last month, plans were lodged with Pendle Council seeking permission to change land at Salterforth Quarry in Moor Lane, Salterforth, from a scrapyard to a five-plot travelling showpeople’s site, comprising of five static residential caravans, five touring caravans, and vehicle storage.

Frank Lee of Lee’s Amusements wants to turn the former Chris Watson and Sons vehicle dismantlers, scrap metal dealers and parts sales depot into a storage for caravans and around 10 vehicles, which he and his family use for their travelling fairgrounds.

Layout plans (Image: Council)

A supporting statement lodged alongside the application states the Lee family currently live on an approved site at Canal Way, Burnley Road, Altham.

However, the site has become unsuitable for the family, and given it is the only rental site in the area, provides the family with very little in the way of other options.

Furthermore, the site owners have recently divorced and split the ownership of the site and are now looking to sell it, offering no security for the Lees and their children.

The supporting document reads: “We would be homeless within a month, with nowhere to go.

“This uncertainty and the lack of any other available or deliverable travelling showman’s sites in either Pendle or Burnley resulted in our decision to source a site that would provide a settled and permanent base in a suitable location.

"It would provide stability for our family and space for our business on the former Chris Watson and Sons site.”

The Lee family comes from four generations of travelling showmen who operate countrywide and travel for many months in the season.

The family’s working season is more extended than it was the past, and they are out with equipment right through from March until Christmas.

Locally and in terms of business activities, the family open their waltzer at Thornton Hall Farm Park, while their catering unit trades at Jewson’s in Colne, Burnley, and Accrington, and also at Howdens in Nelson and Burnley.

Layout plans (Image: Council)

The family work for corporate events at Morrisons in Nelson and attend events in Nelson town centre with their rides.

They have also supported the Barrowford Show and attend events in Burnley, Towneley, and surrounding areas, including Bacup carnival.

The supporting document states the Lees consider it very important they continue to trade and support local communities, and the Salterforth site provides a suitable base for them to achieve this.

It goes on: “The site would be the family’s base to store rides and catering units while not in use, and also for maintenance of equipment. There are times of the year (usually January to March) when mostly the rides would be back on site.”

Residential occupation for the Lee family would be in five plots, each consisting of a static home and trailer caravan, and should planning permission be granted it would provide stability for them, offering them the opportunity to build and expand their business.

The supporting document continues: “Unlike the needs for many gypsies and travellers, the special requirements for travelling showpeople in terms of their businesses means that suitable sites are almost impossible to find, which is why the lawful use of this site and its location near to Barnoldswick makes the site so attractive to support the needs of both the family and the business.”

The only concern raised so far has been from the countryside access officer at Pendle Council over public rights of way.

The officer stated: “The proposed development appears to be incompatible with public footpath passing through the site and therefore I suggest that the applicant is encouraged to amend the application with a plan showing the line of the existing footpath and proposals for line of the footpath to be diverted.”

Layout plans - where the site is (Image: Council)

There are no natural and historic environmental considerations associated with the proposed development, the site is not isolated and is sustainably located to essential services, facilities and public transport.

There are no current or recent planning applications that would affect the consideration of the Lee family’s proposal. In addition, the site is not within a conservation area, and there are no listed buildings nearby.

People wishing to comment on or object to the plans have until October 12 to do so.