THE ‘POOR’ use of funding designed to increase housing developments in brownfield sites has been slammed by a councillor.

Cllr Joe Cooney, leader of the Pendle Conservatives, has raised concerns as to why only £50,000 has been spent from the £1.5million Brownfield Sites Fund.

The funding aims to help make sites more viable to home developers.

Split into two elements, £500,000 of grant fund can be given out in £10,000 chunks per house for up to 10 houses per site.

The second part, the main fund, worth £1million, supports redevelopment of brownfield sites for both housing and employment uses, with the level of funding decided on a case by case basis.

Leader of Pendle Council, Cllr Mohammed Iqbal, said it was important the local authority spent the money carefully to make a real difference.

Cllr Cooney, who represents Vivary Bridge on Pendle Council, said: “The funding has just been sat there for two years and the council has done nothing with it.

“People are getting sick of seeing planning applications for greenfield sites, they don’t want to see them go.

“The council has said they can’t do anything, but its their responsibility. It’s been poorly used. Building on brownfield sites means grot spots would disappear and be used properly.

“It would help us fill our housing targets and provide much needed starter homes and affordable houses”

A brownfield site is an area which has previously been used for industrial or commercial purposes.

Cllr Cooney said the funding was set up in 2015, however a Pendle Council spokesman said it was set up a few months ago.

The spokesman said 40 houses are set to be built at the Oak Mill site in Colne which will use around £500,000 from the main fund.

Cllr Mohammed Iqbal, leader of Pendle Council, said: “We’re working closely with prospective developers on a site-by-site basis to fully understand their obstacles to try to help them overcome them.

“We’ve been cautiously spending the money because for some time we’ve been waiting for clarification from the government and the Homes and Communities Agency on aspects of its Housing Infrastructure Fund."