CAMPAIGNERS have volunteered to occupy a disused hospital in a bid to stop developers from pulling down part of the building to make way for new homes.

They are supporting local protests at controversial plans to demolish the wings of historic Hartley Hospital, Colne.

Brian Jackson, of Pendle Friends of the Earth, said environmental campaigners from across the country who previously battled against new motorways were turning their attentions to "unwanted" housing developments.

"Hartley Hospital falls within this category," he said. "I've been contacted by environmental campaigners who have been involved in protesting against new motorways. I've already had volunteers in contact with me who are prepared to carry out an occupation of Hartley if necessary.

"I've told them to hang fire and not make any moves yet. What I want to see first is a detailed engineer's survey of the wings. If it finds structural problems in the wings and they need to come down then fine. However without evidence of that then this scheme is definitely a 'no no.'"

Ruth Starkie, who has campaigned for years to save Hartley Hospital, Colne, said the building was given to local people as a gift to the community by Sir William Hartley, of the Hartley jam family, and should not be touched without the community's permission.

"There's no way they can demolish those wings before talking to people all over Colne," said Ruth, of Wilmore Close, Colne. "It was given to the people and it's our hospital. How can you 'un give' something?"

Ribble Enterprises Limited has applied to Pendle Council for planning permission to convert the main part of the hospital into nine flats with community facilities and demolish the wings to make way for 56 homes.

Former Mayor of Pendle, Councillor Jo Belbin, who lives opposite the hospital, said: "This is our last chance to save Hartley. The plan is to use the main part of the hospital for housing association flats with a small shop and a communal lounge. The bungalows would be for sale in the normal manner.

"I've seen the plans and I will be supporting them. This is the best chance to save the building itself. If these plans don't go through the developer will say 'we've tried everything' and the building could be lost for good."

The hospital was opened in 1924 and closed in 1987. It was sold by health chiefs for private development and is now owned by Ribble Industrial Estates. Previous unsuccessful schemes to get it back into use included turning it into a Buddhist spiritual centre.

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