Eshton in pre-let talks at M65 industrial park

Yorkshire-based Eshton Group will start construction in the autumn of a new bridge across the Leeds-Liverpool Canal to form the entrance to the 70-acre Burnley Bridge Business Park.

Work on the road bridge and associated infrastructure into the development area will be completed in the first half of 2012.

James Chapman, managing director of Eshton, said that the NWDA has allocated £3.8m towards the £50m project

He added there was strong interest in the site, close to junction 9 of the M65, from logistics and manufacturing companies in the area. He said: "We are in advanced talks with a number of parties and could do deals in the coming months that mean we are also on site with bespoke buildings for the first occupiers at the same time as the bridge installation."

There is consent for up to 700,000 sq ft of industrial space at the site. Chapman said inquiries were for space from 60,000 sq ft to 500,000 sq ft.

As well as design-and-build pre-lets Eshton will undertake a speculative phase of around 50,000 sq ft in 2012.

Chapman added: "Contrary to what some people might expect, we have found plenty of companies doing well in the area during the recession. Some of the local manufacturers are consolidating space and smaller firms need to move to new premises."

The agents for the development are Dove Haigh Phillips of Leeds and Trevor Dawson of Blackburn and Burnley.