Derwent looks to offload 325 acres in Lancashire 

Located in the West Lancs Green Belt, the former St Joseph’s Seminary and surrounding land is described by selling agent CBRE as “a large strategic consolidated landholding”. 

Derwent Group, set up by the late Albert Gubay, is looking to get the 325-acre site on the edge of Up Holland off its books. 

Located between Mill Lane and Stoney Brow in West Lancashire, the site’s centrepiece is the grade two-listed former seminary. 

The historic 215,000 sq ft building was used as a base for educating clergy for more than a century and was latterly used as a school. It has been vacant since 1992 and has fallen into a state of disrepair. 

A dilapidated protected building presents viability challenges that could be overcome through the redevelopment of the surrounding land. However, in order for this to happen, West Lancs Council would have to release it from the Green Belt. 

The council is currently preparing a fresh local plan, which is due to be adopted in 2027. 

CBRE claims there is scope for redevelopment of the site through the restoration of the listed buildings “for a variety of potential uses including, hotel, residential and leisure enabled by new build development on the expansive landholding”, according to marketing materials. 

Attempts to redevelop the site have been made in the past. A proposal to convert the seminary building into 92 apartments was approved in 2003 but never implemented. In June 2007, West Lancs greenlit plans for 205 apartments on the former school playing fields.