Burnley Civic Quarter Masterplan

The 'Burnley Civic Quarter' masterplan is a draft vision of how the town could be transformed to become more accessible and vibrant for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.

The initial designs inform how we can transform part of Burnley town centre by connecting the Manchester Road Railway Station in the south with Burnley Bus Station and the Town Centre to the North through the town's Civic Quarter and Victorian core.

Using a masterplan vision helps us to understand and highlight the opportunities there are to help refresh, revitalise, and reconnect this particular area and how it could be developed to realise the long-term wider vision for Burnley Town Centre which includes:

• St James' Street town centre scheme
• the UCLan Campus Expansion
• the Town 2 Turf scheme - a Burnley Borough Council Round 1 Levelling Up Fund project

We are working closely with Burnley Council to ensure we both share a clear vision of what we want to achieve and how we can make that a reality, whilst also ensuring that the programme ties in with other regeneration projects such as Burnley's Town Centre and Canalside Masterplan.

The masterplan developed in conjunction with consultants Planit and Jacobs, includes improvements that may be delivered as part of Lancashire County Council’s Levelling Up East Lancashire programme and proposals are currently being developed with residents and other stakeholders.

Aims of the plan

The main aims of the masterplan are to develop:

• Economic Benefits by providing a high-quality public realm and setting for new and existing businesses and draw locals and visitors into Burnley to stop and stay
• Improved Connectivity, with inclusive enhanced routes for walking, wheeling and cycling from Manchester Road Station through to Burnley Town Centre and bus station, considering wider links to the wider town masterplan
• Safer, Greener and Healthier Streets by reconfiguring the existing network of streets where traffic is reduced making it safer and more enjoyable for residents, workers and visitors to walk, wheel and cycle

Key principles

Some of the key principles of the masterplan currently being explored include:

• Create safer more enjoyable streets for residents, workers and visitors to walk, wheel and cycle
• Improve connectivity towards the Town Centre and bus station from Burnley Manchester Road Station for walking, wheeling and cycling
• Reconsider vehicular movement to enhance and improve crossings at junctions to increase pedestrian and cycle connectivity
• Create a new public square and outdoor events space which forms a celebratory setting for the Grade II listed Town Hall and Mechanics Theatre
• Enhance existing greenspace and introduce more street greening
• Provide a high-quality public realm setting for new and existing businesses, with spaces to stop and dwell
• Create an attractive, pedestrian and cycle friendly street scene along Croft Street, with legible direct movement between the bus station to the Town Centre via Boot Way
• Consider the wider connections to Burnley masterplan projects such as Town 2 Turf

Have your say

We are currently asking for people's views on our initial ideas to help inform our plans. You can view draft visuals of the areas of opportunity we are looking at by viewing our initial masterplan vision.

If you have any comments of questions on this masterplan including requests for the information in alternative formats, email eastlancsluf@lancashire.gov.uk by Friday 5 April 2024.

Following initial input, we will progress these plans and there will be further opportunity for people to view and have their say on the emerging design proposals.

The government's Levelling Up Fund is designed to invest in infrastructure that improves everyday life across the UK. The £4.8 billion fund will support a range of schemes across the UK. County Councils can submit bids for local transport projects.