Pendle Ski Club extension plans go for take-off (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Pendle Ski Club extension plans go for take-off

9:46am Tuesday 12th July 2011 in Sabden By Nazia Parveen, Reporter

A MASSIVE expansion is on the cards for one of East Lancashire's most popular tourist attractions.

Bosses hope skiers will be queuing up to use the facilities at Pendle Ski Club as plans for a major extension were unveiled.

The club, based in Clitheroe Road, Sabden, is preparing to make alterations to the nursery slope almost doubling it in length to 100 metres.

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And in addition there are proposals to build a new counter slope at the bottom of the main slope and put up three new floodlights.

Plans for the work have been submitted to Ribble Valley Council and will be considered at a meeting on July 14.

If they are given the green light work is expected to start immediately.

But not everyone has welcomed the plans with objections submitted by a number of local residents and Pendleton Parish Council.

They have expressed concern over the height and the number of the floodlights and the impact on the surrounding countryside.

Nigel Wight, slope maintenance manager at the club, said: “The majority of people can’t see the slope and I think these concerns raised about the floodlights is just a red herring.”

Once the work is complete bosses are hoping the slopes will rival Ski Rossendale in Rawtenstall, which reopens in September, and the Chill Factor in Manchester.

The club, which celebrated its 40th anniversary two years ago, has almost 600 members.

“We already have a fantastic teaching and training facility and we now need to do some work to make it better to cope with the increasing users.

“It is a perfect place to come and have your first ski lesson if you’re a novice or training for a competition if you are more experienced.

“It's also in an area of outstanding natural beauty and the views are spectacular,” he added.

During the past 30 years the main slope has developed to a length of over 130 metres and in addition there is a large training slope with two button lifts.

The existing Alpine-style clubhouse operates on a mainly voluntary basis.