County council publishes new plans for Cuerden employment site

Lancashire County Council has published new development proposals for a central Lancashire employment site which could create 2,000 high-skilled jobs.

The plans are the council's latest iteration of its vision for the Cuerden site and have been created with development partner Maple Grove Developments, part of The Eric Wright Group.

Commercial floorspace with easy access to the motorway network sits at the heart of the plan, alongside 116 new homes and significant investment in infrastructure and green spaces.

In addition to the hundreds of jobs created during the construction phase, it is hoped that the site will attract new businesses to the area, creating as many as 1,900 high-quality jobs.

Steve Burns, head of strategic development at Lancashire County Council, said: "These are exciting proposals for this key strategic employment site in the heart of the county. It would create thousands of jobs, both during construction and upon completion, and is a significant opportunity for local skills development opportunities and social value. The site is regionally significant, vital to the place shaping agenda and delivers economic outcomes for Lancashire."

A planning application is expected to be submitted in the coming weeks. Detailed planning permission will be sought for site access and a proportion of core green infrastructure and outline planning permission will be sought for all other aspects of the proposals through a series of parameters which will guide the future development of the site.

The proposals will divide the site into a series of smaller development plots, setting out the intended use and scale of development for each plot. Detailed development proposals for each plot will follow through a series of separate applications for ‘reserved matters’.

Residents who live close to the site will be contacted to make them aware of the plans and how they can give feedback.

The county council believes that if planning permission is granted, and depending on the planning and development process, work could begin on the initial infrastructure works later in the year.