Conference showcases vibrant Lancashire built environment sector

The scale and breadth of ongoing projects and the opportunities that affords Lancashire businesses was there for all to see at a Lancashire Business View conference this morning.

The Built Environment Conference, now into its fifth year, saw leaders from some of the region's biggest projects demonstrate the huge investment currently being put into the property sector in the county.

And with more than 100 in attendance at the event, hosted at EG on the Move's Waterside headquarters in Blackburn, many reflected a growing confidence having heard about the developments being put into action all across Lancashire.

The event was sponsored by Blackpool and the Fylde College, Blackpool Makes It Work, Harrison Drury and Roma Finance, and supported by TCB Signage.

Opening the event, Lancashire Business View chairman Richard Slater said: "We took a slightly different approach to this conference this year.

“It would be quite easy for us to spend three hours talking about planning and funding, and skills and viability, and supply chain and infrastructure, and the problems therein.

“We all know those problems are there, but that is not what we are talking about today. We are talking about the projects that are making a difference to our county.

“These are projects that are happening. Some of them are in progress, in conversation, but they are going to happen.

“These are the projects that are moving, the projects that are changing places across the county.”

He added: "Behind every one of these projects we have places, people and partnerships. That's the theme we want to take today.

“The places that have been changed, the people with the ambition, skills and persistence to make things happen, the partnerships that bring together advisers, investors, developers, contractors, councils, colleges and supply chains.”

The audience then heard from a panel including Nick Gerrard, of Blackpool Makes It Work; Sarah Hall from Blackpool and The Fylde College; John Chesworth from Harrison Drury and Michael Allison of Roma Finance. The panel discussed the importance of partnerships and collaboration, between public and private sectors and with education to support skills.

That was followed by presentations by a number of businesses and organisations investing significantly in infrastructure across the county. These included Robin Lawrence from EG on the Move, Duncan Rarity of Star Academies, Richard Slater from VINCI Building, which is supporting Eden Project Morecambe, James Scott from Maple Grove Developments, Tracey Clavell-Bate from Barnfield Construction, Nick Mullins of AXIS Real Estate and John Heaton from The Heaton Group.

Reflecting on the morning event, Dave Harding of Gilberts in Blackpool said: "Today's event shows that a big project isn't considered in isolation. It's a cascade effect.

"It's really nice to see the infrastructure projects happening that then feed the local economy. It's really nice to see the bigger picture.”

Ian Powell from Warden Construction said: "Events like this today give us confidence.

"The quality of the speakers and the projects that have been highlighted has really excited our business in how we can get involved."

And Lisa Holden, of Blackpool and the Fylde College, said: "It is great to hear around the room how much collaboration and partnership is already going on.

"We are not starting from scratch. Everybody's already talking to one another, which builds a lot of confidence."

A comprehensive report from the Conference will be included in Lancashire Business View issue 132 November/December.