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Lancashire Central employment site will create 5,600 jobs and 116 new homes

By Nagasunder in UK Business News, posted September 6, 2022

Lancashire County Council and its development partner Maple Grove Developments have filed a planning application that could lead to a huge development creating more than 5,000 jobs.

The plans are for the Lancashire Central site in the village of Cuerden, representing a new and updated vision for the key strategic employment site.

The development aims to provide approximately 1.7 million square feet of floor space while also providing significant economic and employment benefits to the people of Lancashire.

The plans would create a significant amount of new local employment space for offices, R&D, industrial, storage, and distribution.

They could also include retail and food and beverage outlets, as well as opportunities for a gym and/or crèche, health center/pharmacy, and leisure facilities.

Cabinet member for economic development and growth, County Councillor Aidy Riggott, said: "These are exciting proposals for this key strategic employment site in the heart of the county.

"Higher skilled jobs with competitive salaries will boost employment growth and create a quality place to work, live and visit, making a real difference to the lives and wellbeing of people in Lancashire.

This is an important milestone in the development of the site with the submission of the planning application.

"The site is regionally significant, vital to the place shaping agenda and delivers economic outcomes for Lancashire."

A proposal for 116 homes will help to increase the supply of new housing while also providing a significant boost to the local economy through increased spending in the area.

The creation of new employment floor space on such a critical strategic development site with direct access to the highway network will provide opportunities for businesses to grow and thrive, as well as new businesses to locate and invest in the area.

If approved, the proposals would generate approximately 2,400 construction job opportunities and up to 5,600 full-time job opportunities across a wide range of positions, including higher-skilled jobs.

It is also estimated the development would provide a £390 million annual boost to the local economy.

The development's other benefits include significant landscaping and the creation of ecological habitats on the site.

A number of sustainability initiatives are also included in the design.

Significant investments will be made in local infrastructure like roads and pedestrian/cycle routes. Existing routes and public rights of way will be linked by new walking and cycling routes.

Planting and green space, ponds, and open drainage features are examples of environmental infrastructure that support the health and wellbeing agenda.

Development director at Maple Grove, James Scott, said: “Lancashire Central represents one of the most significant development projects in the North West and, as a Lancashire-based developer, it is a project with which we are immensely proud to be involved.

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"We have worked very closely with the county council and key stakeholders, to create a scheme which will benefit the local and regional areas both economically and through job creation and we look forward to working towards a positive outcome at committee, so we can hopefully begin work on the initial infrastructure work later this year.”

This multi-million-pound investment is critical to the council's Lancashire 2050, as well as the county's post-Covid-19 recovery and the government's Levelling Up agenda.

Source: Placenorthwest

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