Manufacturing site for sale as resi opportunity

Global chemical manufacturing business Yule Catto & Co is selling the former William Blythe manufacturing plant at Manchester Road in Hapton, East Lancashire.

In the wake of the closure of the William Blythe works in 2006, Yule Catto has undertaken a £2m programme of investment on the 38-acre site, including the demolition of all buildings and the restoration of a former landfill site into a country park.

After detailed discussions with Burnley Council, it has been agreed that the site is suitable for a development of up to 280 houses, mainly located within the former manufacturing section of the site. Yule Catto is considering partnership and phased proposals, as well as an outright sale.

Mike Dove, of the Leeds-based property consultancy Dove Haigh Phillips, sole agent for the development, said: "This is a superb development opportunity in an excellent location. It overlooks the historic Leeds-Liverpool canal, a key asset which adds to its charm, and provides easy access to the major North West conurbations and the Greater Manchester area.

"It is located on the edge of Hapton village, approximately five miles to the west of Burnley, 3.5 miles north east of Accrington and 1.5 miles south of Padiham. Hapton itself has a traditional rural character and is surrounded by attractive open countryside. It benefits from a high-level of accessibility including a railway station, providing an hourly service to Preston, and close links to Junction 8 of the M65".

Dove added: "Importantly, the surrounding area is seeing significant regeneration, with key employment areas, such as Eshton's pioneering Burnley Bridge Business Park currently under development."

Altogether Yule Catto owns 38.3 acres of land at Manchester Road, Hapton, of which 14.3 acres is located within the defined urban area and 24 acres is located within the green belt.

Dove explained: "The optimum capacity for a potential housing development is 14.3 acres, where up to 280 high-quality houses can be built within a pleasant green setting by the historic canal. It has the potential to be really stunning.

"There will be large areas of open space and a restored country park within the green belt for the use of residents to the development and the wider Hapton community, providing a network of green corridors through the site linking the canal tow path with the new country park area," he added. "Trees will also be planted as screening for the nearby M65."