REVOLUTION PARK: Work starts on Darwen’s new home of advanced manufacturing

Work has started on a landmark manufacturing and research development in Darwen, part of the ambitious £100m Darwen Town Deal.

Revolution Park, located off Goose House Lane, is being delivered by Barnfield Blackburn Ltd – a joint venture between Barnfield Group and Blackburn with Darwen Council.

The new site is set to house a state-of-the-art manufacturing research centre, with ongoing discussions for Sheffield Universities’ Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) to become the anchor tenant there.

Alongside this, 10 high-quality industrial units are also available for purchase or lease, creating a unique opportunity to establish a sector cluster of innovative businesses in the area.

Next door, a £30m expansion of Perspex International Ltd – a major employer in Darwen and the only production site for Perspex in the whole of the UK - is also now underway.

The expansion will make the manufacturing process greener, significantly reducing both water and energy consumption, while also safeguarding local jobs.

Both schemes are supported by the Darwen Town Deal, with Barnfield Construction appointed for the build on both projects.

Coun Phil Riley, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council and Chair of the Darwen Town Deal Board, said: “If we want a more prosperous future for Blackburn with Darwen, for our residents, we must invest in growth and this project is a shining example of that.

“From the start, the Board set out to ensure the Town Deal would be truly transformational, including a focus on employment and innovation opportunities.

“And the Town Deal funding has helped make these two schemes at Chapels viable – attracting significant new investment while also protecting and helping create new jobs.

“The £25m we initially secured from government has been turned into £100m of new investment with private and Council contributions too – a staggering level of new funding for Darwen focused on what really matters.”

The AMRC is recognised for transforming cutting-edge research into practical, real-world industrial improvements.

It connects a network of 70 universities and more than 1,000 businesses – from innovative start-ups to global manufacturing giants.

Coun Riley added: “Darwen has a proud industrial heritage – once a world leader.

“The name Revolution Park honours that history and the town’s key role in the First Industrial Revolution, and we want to be at the forefront of the next.

“We’re incredibly ambitious for Darwen and for our borough, and proud to back major investments like this and the Perspex expansion.”

The Darwen Town Deal has already supported other successful growth and innovation projects – including a new HQ for aerospace firm Brookhouse at Balle Street, close to India Mill.

The facility, also delivered by the Barnfield Group, is now complete and fully operational, enabling the business to expand - again, securing jobs in the town.

Tracy Clavell-Bate, head of development and acquisition at Barnfield Group, said: “We’re delighted to be on site and progressing this important development at Revolution Park.

“This is a prime location for businesses to locate to with easy access to major motorway networks. 

“An AMRC base in Darwen would be a huge coup, and we’re actively marketing the additional new units for sale – with leasing options also available.”

The Darwen Town Deal forms part of Blackburn with Darwen Council’s £1bn vision for the future.

It focuses on five key themes:

• Town centre regeneration
• Employment growth and business innovation
• Destination Darwen – including trails to the iconic Jubilee Tower
• Connected Darwen with ultrafast fibre broadband
• A new East Lancashire Sports Village
  Together with wider investments like the Blackburn Growth Axis and the £250m Blackburn Town Centre Masterplan, the strategy could support up to 100,000 jobs, positioning the borough as a leading economic hub for the region.

Learn more about investment across Blackburn with Darwen at: www.discoverbwd.com