National food and drink brands sign up to Botany Bay

The new £220m Botany Bay Business Park in Chorley has secured Costa Coffee, Greggs and Central Co-Op as future tenants.  

Taking a total of 7,222 sq ft, all three brands are set to open their new premises to the public by early 2025. 

With estimates that the Botany Bay Business Park scheme will be home to just over 1,000 jobs when fully completed, these occupiers will provide valuable amenities to those working and visiting the site, whilst also bringing new food and beverage brands to the M61 Junction location. 

FI Real Estate Management (FIREM) is currently constructing 33 units totalling 405,386 sq. of space at Botany Bay Business Park (Phase one).  

In December 2023, FIREM secured planning approval for phase two of the site – a further 322,560 sq ft of industrial space on its development site across the canal. Groundwork on phase two is set to begin in Q1 2024. 

The development has recently hit a significant construction milestone as the site’s largest industrial unit, Block E, which totals 158,360 sq ft is now ready for enquiries and viewings. Strong interest in Botany Bay Business Park has ramped up, with a total of 129,000 sq ft now in legals, expected to complete by the end of the first quarter of 2024.   

To support the development, FIREM has funded transport and infrastructure enhancements around the site, J8 of M61 and the Hartwood Roundabout area via a Section 106 agreement. The agreed plans are being co-ordinated and delivered with Lancashire County Council.  

Tim Knowles, founder and managing director of FIREM, said: “It’s fantastic news that national chains Costa Coffee, Greggs and Central Co-op are taking space at Botany Bay Business Park. These businesses will not only bring new jobs to the area, they will provide a variety of amenity to the community we create at Botany Bay Business Park and will also offer local residents and employees brand new food and beverage options, conveniently located just off the motorway.

“It’s encouraging to see interest really ramping up on the site now and as we near the completion on our first four blocks, we are seeing first-hand how the site is addressing the need for high-quality industrial, warehousing and commercial space in Chorley.”