BAE kicks off £12m Samlesbury Enterprise Zone project

Pochin’s has started on the 130,000 sq ft asset management facility for BAE at Samlesbury Aerospace Enterprise Zone in Lancashire, set to complete in 12 months’ time.

The facility will consolidate a number of BAE’s asset management sites around the UK, and follows the development of an advanced manufacturing research centre at the site. The Enterprise Zone is already home to two aerospace developments: BAE’s £16m Academy for Skills & Knowledge, and the £15m Wincanton defence & logistics centre. The latter project was also delivered by Pochin’s.

Development at the site has been supported by an £11m infrastructure package including a new spine road, access points, and ecology and drainage works, supported by the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership.

Lancashire Enterprise Partnership director Miranda Barker said: “This new facility marks another significant investment in the Samlesbury Aerospace EZ, which is home to a growing number of top-class, high-tech facilities.

“Lancashire is an attractive place to invest. We have a critical mass of world-class aerospace and advanced manufacturing industries, a long tradition of innovation and enterprise, and we can offer excellent facilities, infrastructure and support like those at Samlesbury.

“Adding to Lancashire’s key sector focus spanning automotive, energy and as the world’s fourth largest aerospace cluster, the continued investment by BAE and across the Enterprise Zone further stimulates investment in and by our multi-layered supply chain of local SMES, the existence of which drives the global success of the economy for us all.”