Plans lodged for 1.7m sq ft Lancashire Central 

Maple Grove Developments and the county council have submitted a fresh planning application for the 160-acre employment scheme five years after the first iteration of the project was approved. 

The 1.7m sq ft industrial development, known as Lancashire Central could create up to 5,600 full time jobs and generate £390m a year for the local economy, according to Lancashire County Council. 

Proposals for the site, located close to the M6 and M65 south of Bamber Bridge, include additional commercial uses such as retail, food and drink outlets, and leisure, as well as 116 homes. 

If planning permission is granted, work could begin on the initial infrastructure works later in the year. 

“These are exciting proposals for this key strategic employment site in the heart of the county,” said Cllr Aidy Riggott, cabinet member for economic development and growth. 

“Higher skilled jobs with competitive salaries will boost employment growth and create a quality place to work, live and visit, making a real difference to the lives and wellbeing for people in Lancashire. 

“This is an important milestone in the development of the site with the submission of the planning application. The site is regionally significant, vital to the place shaping agenda and delivers economic outcomes for Lancashire.” 

The refreshed plans for the site feature 300,000 sq ft less industrial space than the previous iteration, approved in 2017. 

Ikea was on board to anchor the earlier proposal but pulled out in 2018, prompting a rethink. 

The 2m sq ft iteration of the project that came forward in 2017 featured: 

• 840,000 sq ft general employment space, warehousing and light industrial 
• 600,000 sq ft large logistics or other non-retail use 
• 260,000 sq ft of mixed commercial, food retail, hotel and car sales 
• 130,000 sq ft for business and industrial hybrid units 
• 210 new homes. 

James Scott, development director at Maple Grove, said: “Lancashire Central represents one of the most significant development projects in the North West and, as a Lancashire-based developer, it is a project with which we are immensely proud to be involved. 

“We have worked very closely with the county council and key stakeholders, to create a scheme which will benefit the local and regional areas both economically and through job creation and we look forward to working towards a positive outcome at committee, so we can hopefully begin work on the initial infrastructure work later this year.”