Recession hits Hapton Boat Yard hard (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Recession hits Hapton Boat Yard hard

10:50am Friday 23rd September 2011 in Hapton By Tyrone Marshall, Reporter

BOSSES at Hapton Boat Yard have drawn up plans to sell off part of the site after business has dried up due to the recession.

A portion of the Simpson Street site could be sold if plans to build four detached homes on it are approved.

Bosses blamed the economic climate for the decision and said it was essential to keep the yard running.

A spokesman for Donahue Designs, who have drawn up the plans, said: “The site is located on the north side of Hapton and has been used for the fitting out, storage and mooring of barges on the Leeds-Liverpool canal.

“Until recently up to 50 foot barges have been delivered by road to the site to be fitted out and launched.

“Unfortunately, since the recession there has been very little work for the yard and the sale of part of the site seems the most appropriate way to provide the necessary funding to keep the boat yard going.”

The half an acre development area is between Simpson Street on the south of the site and the canal on the north.

The spokesman added: “The main section of the boat yard where the development is proposed is quite steep, overgrown, covered in building materials and has a number of very old boats stored on it.

“Another portion of the site is used for storage and there are a number of metal cabins for this purpose. It is proposed to re-site these on another section of the boat yard.

“The industrial nature of Hapton appears to be changing with the demolition of Hepworth Plastics and Blythe Chemicals and the proposed removal of a number of outdated, poorly accessed industrial building built from a miss match of materials.”

Burnley Council’s development control committee will make a decision on the plans next month.