Latest news with #MelissaFisher
BBC News
26-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Work to start on Great Harwood leisure complex's £400,000 revamp
Initial work to transform a leisure complex in Lancashire will begin later this £400,000 project at Mercer Hall in Great Harwood will include asbestos assessments and the drawing up of technical designs to accommodate new flooring and furnishings in the main hall and front features of the renovation will be the reinstatement of the grand doors which lead into the hall, and the addition of a new dance community groups hope to be able to start using the hall from December. 'Historic building' Mercer Hall was built between 1913 and Council decided in 2022 to permanently close its swimming pool in favour of a new purpose-built £12m leisure centre at Wilson Playing Fields in new facility is due to open in Hall's gym will close when the new complex opens, the Local Democracy Reporting Service Council's deputy leader and leisure boss, Councillor Melissa Fisher, said Mercer Hall was a "much-loved community landmark".She said: "It's wonderful to know that these efforts will ensure the people of Great Harwood can continue enjoying this historic building for many years to come."Mercer Hall, on Queen Street, is named after scientist John Mercer, who came from the town and invented a treatment to improve the quality of cotton fabric. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
BBC News
18-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Huncoat Garden Village: Plans for 1,800 homes on colliery site move closer
The next steps towards making one of Lancashire's biggest housing schemes made up of 1,816 new homes a reality will be taken Council's cabinet are set to authorise the start of acquiring the land and property needed to enable construction of the proposed residential relief road at Huncoat Garden a new £6.8m highway is a key first stage in the construction of the £460m project to bring the new homes to the will develop the former power station and colliery sites at Huncoat creating an extension to the existing Huncoat village for the new housing which includes 363 new affordable and social properties. Hyndburn Council's deputy leader and housing and regeneration boss councillor Melissa Fisher will deliver an update to her senior colleagues at the meeting, the Local Democracy Reporting Service will ask the cabinet to seek approval for the acquisition of land and property to enable construction of the proposed residential relief road and to obtain consent to start the process towards a Compulsory Purchase Order should the council fail to acquire the required land and property by Fisher will also ask for delegated authority to deliver the Huncoat Garden Village project following the council entering a grant funding agreement with Homes England for £29,897, a report she said "good progress continues to be made" on the project including the selection of a preferred contractor to construct the road and outline planning being submitted for the overall masterplan envisages the creation over 15 years of a new village centre, an expanded primary school, additional railway station parking, 60 acres (24 hectares) of accessible open space, new woodland and new sports facilities. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Views sought on future of Accrington Victoria Hospital site
People across Accrington are being encouraged to have their say on the future of a community hospital that closed in Victoria Community Hospital on Haywood Road closed after East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust deemed the building to be beyond parts of the hospital, built in 1894, had issues with ceilings collapsing, asbestos and broken trust's chief executive, Martin Hodgson, said he would work with the community and council to find a new use for the site and an online survey had been created to gauge initial views and ideas. 'Loved by many' He said he knew "local people felt upset" when the trust moved out of the building."But I am pleased that we have been able to deliver on those promises we made at the time to keep services in Accrington, protect the buildings history and ensure that the community was able to get involved about what happened to the site next."The next phase is to work with key people and communities in the area to decide what happens next to this beloved site."Hyndburn and Haslingden Labour MP, Sarah Smith, will be working alongside Hyndburn Borough Councillor Melissa Fisher, on the Smith said: "Accy Vic is loved by so many people because of its history. "The trust is clear it will work with the community to preserve this heritage and that includes the original facades of the building and the character of Accy Vic where possible."Fisher said the council will also be holding events for people to have their say, including a workshop led by the MP's office and a market stall style drop-in in Accrington Town future of Accrington Victoria survey can be found here. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on BBC Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
