Design team picked for £13.2m Innovation Hub

Lancashire County Council has appointed its professional partners on the delivery of a 30,000 sq ft innovation hub at the Samlesbury Enterprise Zone.

The appointment is a key staging point as the scheme, much talked about, moves beyond concept to the detailed design and delivery stage.

The appointed team is:

• MAKE NW: project management and quantity surveying
• AEW– lead architectural services
• Stantec– MEP and civil & structural design
• Anderton Gables– principal designer and health & safety consultancy
• WFST– fire engineering design
• CW Studio – landscape architect
• CGI Works – architectural visualisation

LCC’s over-arching goal for the hub is that it will support businesses in advanced engineering, manufacturing, science, technology and cyber sectors, in line with the site’s Local Development Order adopted in October 2024.

It will build on Lancashire’s existing strengths and will act as a catalyst for collaboration, innovation and business growth within the Enterprise Zone. The project is a key part of the Lancashire Growth Plan.

Alongside the design work, Lancashire County Council and MAKE NW are developing a framework to appoint a managing operator for the Innovation Hub.

An Expression of Interest exercise carried out in October 2025 gathered market feedback and helped shape options for how the facility could be operated.

The project team is now preparing tender documentation to invite formal proposals from potential managing operators.

Simon Lawrence, director of growth and property at Lancashire County Council, said: “Appointing the design team is a major step forward for the Samlesbury Innovation Hub. It means we can now move into the next phase of turning the vision into a deliverable project.

“More importantly, it puts us on track to create a flagship facility that will help position Lancashire at the forefront of high-value innovation, skills and productivity growth, in line with the ambitions set out in the Lancashire Growth Plan.”

The project is expected to move into planning and operator procurement during 2026, with construction to follow once these stages are complete.

The Innovation Hub will be up to 30,000 sq ft and will offer a mix of high-quality office space, collaboration areas and event facilities. The building will also allow for future adaptability, including the potential for laboratory-enabled space.

Previously announced are funding packages of £7.2m from LCC and £6m from the Lancashire County Combined Authority.