A proposed new logistics and industrial hub in Farington, Lancashire, has been approved by South Ribble Borough Council planning committee. The scheme, brought forward by Caddick Developments, is expected to bring a significant economic boost to the region through the creation of over a thousand jobs
The development will include 612,500sq ft of commercial space, offering a mix of industrial and logistics space with ancillary offices, providing flexibility to accommodate businesses of all types and sizes. Upon its completion, the 40-acre site located adjacent to Lancashire Business Park is anticipated to directly create over 1,000 full-time jobs with a further 460 jobs created in the supply chain, alongside an estimated £66.6m economic output per annum. A further 280 full-time positions are expected to be created during the construction phase.
Situated in close proximity to the M65, M6 and M61, the site will be ideally placed in the heart of central Lancashire’s motorway network, with prime access to regional and national road networks. The development will include a range of unit sizes to accommodate the needs of future occupiers, including big-box distribution units, mid-box production and warehousing, as well as smaller units for local businesses.
A combination of changing consumer behaviours, business preparedness, and pandemic mobilisation has resulted in record demand for logistics space, with uptake increased by 64% from 2019, equating to more than 30m sq. ft of space taken in 2020. With warehouse and distribution stock levels at an all-time low in the North West, this development will provide a much-needed boost to supply. Given its strategic location and high specification design the development has already attracted interest from national and local businesses.
As well as offering excellent transport links, the scheme also incorporates a significant area of open space for community use, with planned upgrades to surrounding pedestrian and cycle routes to allow for sustainability accessibility.
Steve Widdowson, North West Director of Caddick Developments, commented:
“We’re delighted to have received initial approval to bring forward this crucial project, which will contribute to the economic recovery of the region from the COVID-19 pandemic, through the creation of hundreds of local jobs.
“This landmark project offers an attractive proposition to businesses looking to establish themselves in the North West, with excellent access to Central Lancashire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside. As well as being ideally located on the transport network, the scheme would offer flexible commercial space to suit businesses of all shapes and sizes.
“This site is very well placed to meet the continued demand for developments of this type, size, and location from occupiers looking to be on the M6 Corridor.”
The Farington scheme, designed by Yorkshire based architects KPP, is the latest in Caddick’s portfolio of high-quality commercial developments, which includes Wakefield 515, Crosspoint 33, and Moor Park. With a current pipeline of over 16 million sq. ft. of employment space, totalling around £1.8 billion of end value, Caddick Developments is well prepared to meet ongoing and future demands of the industry.
NJL Consulting was the appointed planning consultants on the scheme.
