Rowland acquires seven-acre Farington site at the Lancashire Central strategic development site

Rowland has completed the purchase of a residential development site off Stanifield Lane in Farington from Maple Grove Developments / Lancashire County Council, as part of the proposed Lancashire Central site development.

Rowland will shortly be submitting a planning application for around 75 homes. 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.

 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.”

 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.”

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 said: “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.

 The 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.

The Eric Wright Group is a leading property and construction company that develops, builds and maintains the UK’s infrastructure.

Wholly owned by the Eric Wright Charitable Trust, the Group is committed to delivering employment and regeneration opportunities in the communities in which it operates in. All company profits are either invested back into the Eric Wright Group or awarded to charities and projects, predominately throughout the North West, which support young persons’ wellbeing, elderly services, education and training, health or carers’ support.