Roundhouse breaks ground on second phase of £10 million Shadsworth site

Roundhouse has now broken ground on its second phase of a £10m scheme at Shadsworth.

The first phase saw 14 units being built, of which ten were 1,000 sq ft and four were 850 sq ft, with phase two comprising 32 units at 650 sq ft.

When the site has been completed, 68 new commercial units will provide 24,000 sq ft of commercial space on a 1.56-hectare site.

Managing director of Roundhouse Properties, Jeremy Lefton, said: “Following the election, we’ve already seen a marked increase in interest in the next phase as Shadsworth provides occupiers with excellent access to the motorway network complemented by well-established business parks and leisure outlets around the scheme.

“The model we have developed has proved very attractive to SMEs, especially start-ups that need flexible space to grow their operations, which help boost the local economy.”

Councillor Quesir Mahmood, deputy leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council and executive member for growth and development, said: “Blackburn with Darwen is well known for its strong entrepreneurial spirit, which makes schemes like this, with a focus on business start-ups and SMEs, incredibly important.

“We always welcome investment in our borough and very much support it, and it’s fantastic to see the success of the first phase of this scheme, with almost all of the units already sold.

“The fact that they have so quickly progressed to the second phase is a great show of private investor confidence in our borough. This scheme is in the perfect location too – a key growth corridor for us – with more than £30m of new investment planned in the transport links in that area, including the widening of Junction 5 of the M65 and improved active travel routes.

“We look forward to seeing this Roundhouse scheme develop and the businesses there thrive.”

The site lies adjacent to Guide Reservoir and opposite Shadsworth Business Park.

It will be accessed off Haslingden Road close to Junction 5 of the M65 and includes provision for 193 parking spaces, motorcycle parking and cycle storage.

The Shadsworth site will be the fourth Momentum project and follows previous developments in Preston and Buckshaw Village, near Chorley.

Evolve Architectural Design drew up for the scheme and De Pol Associates acted as planning consultant. Danny Pinkus at Pinkus & Co. and Neil Weaver of Taylor Weaver have been appointed as joint agents for the scheme.