PJ Livesey buys Lancashire convent

The developer has acquired Lancaster House in Parbold from charity The Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur UK and is weighing up what to do with the 6.5-acre site. 

Lancaster House, a Victorian villa and coach house near Wigan, was built as a private residence in the 18th century and later acquired and extended by the charity.  

The facility was used as a convent between 1947 and 2020 when it closed. 

The site was then put up for sale but not before the Sisters of Notre Dame won planning consent for its conversion into a 70-bed care facility. 

Having acquired the site, PJ Livesey is now exploring different options for its redevelopment, which include converting the main building back into a private residence and the creation of several new-build units. 

“We are in discussions with local planners and neighbours about the different options, which include keeping the majority of the main house as one, amazing, 8,000 sq ft property,” said the company’s development director James Woodmansee. 

He added: “The adjoining coach house would be another distinct character property of scale. There is also the potential for a small number of grand apartments at the rear of the building and a new build gatehouse close to the entrance. 

“Every single PJ Livesey site requires a unique solution and the company has the skills and the experience to be able to unlock these projects to find the best solution to save the historic elements and create unique homes that are a new legacy.” 

The site includes a significant 1980’s extension to the main house that would be demolished to make way for several new-build family-sized properties. 

A planning application for the proposed development is being prepared and it is hoped the application will be submitted to West Lancashire Council this summer. 

If approved, work could commence on site in early 2023.