Lancashire Central - Cuerden

Planning permission has been granted for the Lancashire Central strategic employment site at Cuerden, which aims to create thousands of jobs with a focus on high-quality employment uses.

Approval has been given for the multi-million pound development for the future delivery of up to 1.6million sq. ft. of high-quality commercial and business space and the potential to create approximately 2,400 job opportunities during the construction phases and up to 5,600 full time jobs once operational.

We're working with our development partner Maple Grove Developments (part of the Eric Wright Group) on the plans for the Lancashire Central site at Cuerden, which is owned by the county council.

The aim is to deliver significant economic and employment benefits for the people of Lancashire.

The outline planning permission for the mixed-use development sets out the principle for developing the site, as well as more detailed plans for road access into the site and key environmental measures.

The planning application was approved on Wednesday 6 December for our major employment site in Central Lancashire.

Approval given for major employment site in Central Lancashire

The plans include:

• The delivery of new employment floor space on a key strategic development site with direct access to the motorway network, providing opportunities for existing businesses to grow and flourish, and to attract new business to the area.
• Provision for other commercial uses could also be included, to support the wider employment function of the area.
• The provision of up to 116 additional homes, contributing to the supply of new homes and providing a significant boost to the local economy through increased expenditure in the local area.
• Significant investment in infrastructure, including highways and, pedestrian/cycle routes.
• Environmental infrastructure, which also supports the health and wellbeing agenda including planting and green space, ponds and open drainage features.

A multi-million pound investment in this site is essential to Lancashire’s long-term strategy, Lancashire 2050, and will support the county’s post Covid-19 economic recovery and the Government’s Levelling Up agenda.

Outline planning permission has been agreed for all elements, except access points and a proportion of core green infrastructure, which will be in detail.

Detailed development proposals for each plot will then follow through a series of separate applications for ‘reserved matters’.

Find out more information about the Lancashire Central proposals.