JV kicks off Mill Bank with access road
Barnfield Blackburn, a joint venture between Barnfield Developments and Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, has started work on an access road at its Mill Bank Business Park site off the M65.
The site, located on Greenbank Terrace and Milking Lane, just off Junction 4 of the motorway, was acquired by the partnership in 2019, with plans to develop six industrial units.
This initial phase of works will provide a new road through the site linking Greenbank Terrace and Milking Lane, providing access to development plots and preventing a bottleneck problem on Milking Lane.
Further works are planned to help alleviate flooding on Greenbank Terrace. The access road project is being carried out by Barnfield Construction, and is expected to reach completion in March 2021, with the industrial units available from the fourth quarter.
Consultancies Trevor Dawson and Taylor Weaver have been appointed as joint agents for the commercial development within Mill Bank, which according to online marketing materials will comprise units ranging from 3,800 sq ft to 40,000 sq ft.
The partnership, meanwhile, said it is talking to a number of established residential developers about a residential opportunity within the site.
Tracy Clavell-Bate, head of development and acquisition at Barnfield Group, said: “It was evident when we acquired the site that we needed to address two derelict office buildings that had laid dormant for many years.
“Since their demolition in 2019, the partnership have been busy behind the scenes, working with planning, highways and the environment agency, to overcome several challenging issues. Having gained planning earlier this year for the link road and uses across the development plots, we are delighted to be back on site.”
Simon Jones, growth programme director with Blackburn with Darwen Council, and one of the JVs listed directors, said: “It is a pleasure to be involved in the development. The council has played a major part in the design of the new link road and overcoming the challenges due to the topography of the land.”
The scheme has received a £1.4m contribution from the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership’s Growth Deal programme.
