Construction starts on £100m Botany Hill

FI Real Estate Management has begun superstructure works on the first phase of the 300,000 sq ft industrial scheme in Chorley, with an estimated completion date in early 2026.

Botany Hill’s first phase comprises 16 sheds of between 4,800 sq ft and 32,100 sq ft in size. There would be 140,000 sq ft of space constructed in total. This first phase has a GDV of £100m.

Set less than a mile from Junction 8 of the M61, Botany Hill’s first phase has already received occupier interest, according to FIREM. The group said it was talking with a mix of local and national occupiers – talks that are sure to continue with its newly appointed agency team of JLL, Trevor Dawson, and Box 4 Real Estate.

The sheds themselves have been designed by MCAU Architects under plans submitted by Plan Red – and approved by Chorley Council’s planning committee in December 2023. Botany Hill will be built by FIREM’s own FI Developments team. The project team also includes Curtins, PGLA, UES, and Shape Engineering.

The second phase of Botany Hill is to be unveiled later in 2026.

“The progression of construction at Botany Hill marks an exciting new chapter for Chorley, creating a major opportunity to bring more investment into the area and support the ambitions of local businesses,” said Tim Knowles, founder and managing director at FIREM.

“Being able to manage all the construction in-house allowed us to keep the process as productive and efficient as possible,” he continued.

Botany Hill is the second phase of FIREM’s wider £220m Botany Bay Business Park endeavour. The first consisted of 400,000 sq ft. of industrial space, while the third will comprise the redevelopment of the mill on site into 85,800 sq ft of offices. When complete, Botany Bay will host nearly 1m sq ft of employment space and create more than 1,000 jobs, according to FIREM.

“As a long-term investor in Chorley, we’re committed to adding lasting value,” Knowles said.

“This next phase [of Botany Bay] will not only deliver high-quality industrial space in a key location but also create employment opportunities and attract new businesses, as well as allowing existing ones to remain in the area and grow their footprint.”