Wheels turn on East Lancs Paper Mill regeneration
Bury Council and Homes England are preparing to appoint a development partner to deliver up to 400 homes in Radcliffe on the borough’s largest brownfield site.
The 22-acre East Lancashire Paper Mill scheme, located off Cross Lane, would also feature a riverside park and a relocated new cricket ground.
Outline planning consent for project was secured in December 2018 and the site features within Radcliffe’s strategic regeneration framework, drawn up by Deloitte Real Estate and Planit-IE and adopted by the council last September.
The procurement process for the residential development is being carried out by Bury Council and Homes England, which own around 7.3 and 14.6 acres of the paper mill site respectively.
The project brief invites interested parties to participate and submit responses to several key questions, concerning:
- Affordable housing
- Design
- Opportunity and constraints
- Quality and scheme composition
- Delivery and modern methods of construction
The project is an example of Bury’s brownfield first approach to development, which seeks to redevelop derelict sites into new viable uses, the authority said.
Cllr Eamonn O Brien, leader of Bury Council, said: “The launch of this development opportunity on our largest brownfield site represents an important step forward in bringing much needed quality new homes to Radcliffe, as well as creating a quality environment and boost to the local economy. It will also significantly contribute to Radcliffe’s transformation.
“This large tract of former industrial land has laid derelict for many years and this opportunity reinforces the council’s ‘brownfield first’ policy, which aims to bring back derelict and previously developed sites into much needed and sustainable use.’’
Last year, former Manchester City Council chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein was appointed as chair of the Bury Council-led board heading up Radcliffe’s regeneration.
