An 18-month project to create a masterplan for transforming an underused 35-hectare site in the heart of industrial Lancashire into a beacon of biodiversity, habitat recovery, carbon capture and tangible climate action.
Following the purchase of the 87-acre Brookside site in Stanhill Village, Hyndburn Borough Council have partnered with the PROSPECTS Foundation, Lancashire Wildlife Trust, Stanhill Village Community Association, the Ribble Rivers Trust, and Proffitts CIC to transform the space. This 18-month project has been funded by the National Lottery Climate Action Fund and the Windfall Fund.
A site of shared history
The Brookside site has always been at the heart of the Stanhill community. Over the years it has been used for farming, mining, quarrying, and the textiles industry. Perhaps most famously, Stanhill is where James Hargreaves invented the spinning jenny in the 1760s!
If you look carefully, many of the old stone walls still remain, giving us clues into the rich history of the area.
What can we expect over the next 18 months?
We have big dreams for Brookside, but for the next year and a half the focus is on gathering information and pulling together a master plan for the site.
Along with our partners and volunteers, we will be:
- Surveying the animals, plants, and fungi
- Testing the water quality in the existing lodges and in Lottice Brook
- Investigating ways to connect the site to existing paths and cycle routes
- Removing invasive species to promote ecosystem health
- Improving signage, fencing, and paths
- Consulting with disability groups to ensure that Brookside will be a space for everyone
- Engaging with the local community, to make sure everyone can have their say on the plans
How can I get involved?
Have your say!
Please complete our short survey (HERE) and tell us how you would like the future of Brookside to look.
If you have any questions or comments about the site, please reach out to our Brookside Development officer, Alice. You can reach her by email at alice.pooley@propsectsfoundation.org.uk or by phoning the PROSPECTS Foundation office on 01254 230348.
Volunteer with us!
We conduct a regular site work session every Thursday 10am - 1pm. We meet at the Stanhill Road entrance to the site and no booking is required. These sessions are a great way to learn more about practical conservation tasks.
We also have an exciting programme of one off sessions coming up this Autumn (see below for more details!)
For all of our volunteer sessions, we meet by the gate on Stanhill Road (What3words: crowned.sits.paths)
Look for the Brookside Restoration noticeboard!
Sign up to our newsletter!
Sign up HERE for the Brookside restoration quarterly newsletter, filled with seasonal updates, site news, volunteer opportunities, and more!
Stanhill Heritage Trail
The Stanhill Heritage Trail is a 3.5 mile (1-2 hour) circular walk, which takes in the heritage features of Stanhill and follows the main path through Brookside. All of the trail is public access and involves a mixtures of hard pavement, footpath and bridlepath. To find out more about the route visit the Stanhill Village website.
