Sale of residential land at Lancashire Central completed by Maple Grove Developments

Maple Grove Developments/Lancashire County Council have completed the sale of a residential development site to Rowland. The site is located off Stanifield Lane in Farington and forms part of the proposed Lancashire Central development.

A planning application for around 75 homes is due to be submitted shortly. Planning permission is anticipated to be implemented during 2025.

The land sale represents the first phase of development at Lancashire Central, which Lancashire County Council and its development partner Maple Grove Developments (part of Eric Wright Group) secured planning permission for in December 2023.

The mixed-use Lancashire Central scheme aims to provide a platform for significant economic growth in the area, with the potential to create up to 5,600 new full-time jobs across the whole development site. It will deliver up to 1.7 million sq ft of high quality commercial space, including retail, hotel, gym, drive-thru, car sale, employment and leisure.

James Scott, Director at Maple Grove Developments said: “The sale of the residential land to Rowland represents a major milestone for the wider Lancashire Central project and provides the catalyst for both significant further development and associated infrastructure works. It’s an exciting period of time for the project for which we are planning to be on site later this year”.

Jonathan Pickthall, Land Director at Rowland, said: “We are very pleased to have acquired this strategic site in Lancashire, which provides an excellent location for a high quality sustainable development. We look forward to delivering this first phase of development, which will help transform the local area alongside the new employment opportunities proposed by Maple Grove/Lancashire County Council and the new Lancashire Cricket Facility that is being constructed opposite the site”.

County Councillor Aidy Riggott, Cabinet member for economic development and growth at Lancashire County Council, said: “Lancashire Central is one of the biggest employment development opportunities in the North West. Well-connected just next to the national motorway network, it offers a fantastic location. This site for new homes is part of unlocking the wider site’s regional and national significant employment potential, creating growth here in Lancashire.”

Jay Duffield and Ed Rooney of Savills advised Maple Grove Developments on the sale of the land.

Jay Duffield commented on the deal: “We are very pleased to have completed the disposal of the site unconditionally of planning permission just before the Christmas break for our client. The competitive terms we have agreed are reflective of the robust land market in the North West and we look forward to seeing the delivery of the scheme over the next few years”. If approved, the scheme would see the development of a range of three and four bed houses, including three-bed semi-detached and larger four bed detached family homes.

This location benefits from being in the heart of Lancashire, approximately 3.5 miles south of Preston and 4.5 miles north of Chorley, just off the M65 motorway and within minutes of both M6 and M61 motorways. The site retains excellent access to public transport links.

Bus stops are situated on Stanifield Lane, which provide direct services to Preston, Chorley and Wigan. In addition, Leyland Railway Station is situated approximately 1.6 miles south of the site and offers a direct service between Blackpool to Manchester Airport; with stops at Preston, Bolton, Chorley.