Welcome to our website
WELCOME TO OUR WEBSITE
WELCOME TO OUR WEBSITE
Thank you for taking the time to visit our website. Caddick Developments is bringing forward plans to regenerate land adjacent to the existing Lancashire Business Park in Farington to deliver a new commercial development. The plans will also deliver improved green space, ecological enhancements, and public access routes.
The land included within the proposals has outline consent for new Employment Space and in April 2022 planning permission was granted for Phase One through the Reserved Matters Process. Phase One involves the delivery of a c.550,000 sq.ft employment unit.
We are now preparing to submit a detailed reserved matters application for Phase Two, which lies immediately to the southeast of Phase One. Phase Two consists of three smaller units covering approximately 99,500 sq. ft. It is envisaged these units will provide accessible space for local occupiers, presenting an opportunity for local businesses to expand and contribute towards creating a balanced local economy.
This website provides more information about the remaining works and an overview of the progress made so far with our ongoing work, as well as details about how you can get in touch with us.
Background to the site
The site is not within the Green Belt and was historically used as a landfill for inert material from the neighbouring Leyland Works. It is in a highly sustainable location, close to existing commercial areas and within walking distance of public transport networks and residential areas.
The site is key to delivering the Borough’s economic aims and is identified as a key growth area. In addition to bringing new investment and growth to the area, our proposals could deliver upwards of 1,000 new full time equivalent (‘FTE’) jobs once fully operational, and an additional 420 FTE jobs during the construction phase. It will also offer opportunities for young people through the delivery of apprenticeships.
Caddick Developments take pride in being a family business, as well as a proven and responsible developer. We are eager to maintain the positive and productive relationship we have established with the community so far and welcome your feedback and suggestions on the proposals.
Please take the time to read through the information available and let us know your views. All feedback will be considered in detail and will help inform the development of the proposals ahead of a planning application being submitted to South Ribble Borough Council.
THE STORY SO FAR
THE STORY SO FAR
Initial Consultation and Outline Consent
In 2020, pre-application consultation was undertaken ahead of submitting an initial Outline Planning Application to the Council. The proposals put forward envisaged seven units of various sizes, covering approximately 612,500 sq. ft, with building heights of up to 25m.
Letters were delivered to 1,500 local residents to notify the community about the plans, provide details of the proposals and encourage feedback to be provided via a project website or by contacting members of the project team by email, phone or post. Ward members and key Cabinet Members were also consulted to understand their views and overall aspirations.
Reserved Matters Consultation and Application
Following the initial engagement with local residents, businesses and stakeholders, a second pre-application consultation was launched in July 2021. This consultation sought views on revised plans that had evolved based on the feedback received from the community
Approximately 950 nearby properties were notified of the second pre-application consultation and invited to provide feedback, either via the updated project website or contacting the development team via email, phone or post.
The Reserved Matters Planning Application progressed against the backdrop of unprecedented demand and acute lack of supply of employment space across the region. Due to market interest, a single unit was proposed in the northern parcel, as opposed to series of buildings that had received outline planning consent. This application also included details of the proposed pedestrian and bicycle upgrades, drainage, landscaping and biodiversity enhancements across the site as a whole.
Revisions and Planning Approval of the Reserved Matters Application
Following consultation with the local community, the proposals were further revised to respond to feedback from local residents. This included installation of acoustic fences at several points throughout the site and revisions to the site boundary to locate the development further from the scheme’s nearest neighbours.
The revised application received planning consent from South Ribble Council in April 2022. Caddick Developments is thrilled to have been given the green light to commence work on the proposals and look forward to continuing to work with the local community throughout the construction phase.
Remaining Work
To ensure a comprehensive development, we are consulting on the remaining work proposed for Farington. These proposals will act as an immediate extension to the work being carried out at land east of Lancashire Business Park and include three smaller industrial units covering approximately 99,500 sq. ft. Whilst Phase One aimed to provide space for larger business, The remaining work will provide incubator space for local start-up businesses to grow and enhance their operations.
Consultation
Caddick Developments remain committed to engaging with the local community regarding its proposals for Farington and is offering residents the opportunity to engage with members of the project team to the discuss the proposals further. We want to hear the views of the community regarding the initial plans, so please ensure you let us know your feedback ahead of an application being submitted to South Ribble Borough Council.
REMAINING WORK
The site for the remainder of the work is located immediately to the south east of the recently consented Phase One application, at the southern boundary of the wider Lancashire Business Park. Although the site as a whole has been brought forward in two separate phases, the technical work supporting the Phase Two proposals was prepared at the same time as the Phase One. As such, Phase Two is guided and controlled by the existing development to the north west and ensures consistency across the two phases is achieved.
Within this area, Caddick Developments intend to create opportunities for small and medium size businesses looking to upgrade to larger, more modern premises. It is envisaged these units will contribute toward creating a healthy and balanced local economy providing local businesses with the opportunity to utilise facilities often reserved for larger companies.
The three industrial units will offer 99,500 sq. ft of space and will be accessible from Centurion Way which already serves the Lancashire Business Park. This will therefore utilise existing infrastructure and provide quick and easy access to the surrounding highway network allowing businesses to operate effectively.
The new proposals will:
- Act as a natural extension to the ongoing development and the existing industrial units located at Lancashire Business Park
- Provide three mid box units ideal for smaller businesses looking to expand operations and upgrade to larger, modern premises
- Be accessible via New Estate Road and join the existing highways network throughout Lancashire Business Park
- Provide 99,500 sq. ft of much-needed employment space in the South Ribble area
- Create approximately 170 FTE equivalent jobs following completion of the development
BENEFITS
It is Caddick’s ambition to provide a facility which benefits a wide section of society with our proposals for Farington. Our Phase Two proposals will ensure that, alongside the larger businesses serviced by the Phase One proposals, small and medium sized businesses have a chance to thrive. The Phase Two proposals are the next step in achieving this ambition and will help to unlock the potential of the local economy whilst providing further landscaping improvements and creating more jobs for people in the local area.
Created with local businesses in mind
The creation of the three proposed employment units, as well as the potential to provide incubator space within these facilities, will provide smaller businesses with the opportunity to upgrade to larger, modern and more accessible employment space. This will help to foster a more evenly balanced local economy and encourage growth for small and medium size businesses in the area.
Enhancing Green Space and Landscaping
The plans will provide significant landscaping and associated environmental benefits, including the planting of new trees and shrubs, as well as investment in an ecological and habitat enhancement area. This will ensure development offers an attractive environment for future occupiers, as well as offers improved biodiversity
Reducing impact and Considering Neighbours
Caddick Developments is committed to being a good neighbour and has designed a scheme that considers the impact on local residents. Mitigation measures are proposed to reduce the impact of the development, for example, a sensitive lighting scheme ensures the site is surrounded by dark corridors and avoids light spilling to neighbouring areas.
Improving Flood Resilience and Management
Extensive investment of over £1 million will be provided in the bespoke de-culverting of an existing watercourse to provides significantly enhanced flood resilience and management both on and off site. This approach is fully supported by the Environment Agency and considered an effective measure to safe guard the site from flooding.
Furthermore, a sustainable drainage area will be provided via tree planting, that will not only to enhance visual impact of the development and ecological benefits, but also incorporate new recreational routes for local residents, workers and visitors to the site.
Creating Jobs and Enhancing Skills
The proposals provide the opportunity to deliver new jobs, in addition to the 600 jobs that will be created during construction and an ambition to source local employment. It is expected that over 1,100 new jobs will be created in operation and related supply chain roles to the benefit of the local area
Furthermore, the jobs created are within an industry in which 85% of workers are employed on full-time contracts and the average salary is now approximately £31,500; significantly higher than the average UK salary.
A Sustainable, Responsible Development
Sustainability is at the heart of the development, with the plans delivering a BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method), Excellent, best in class, development. This will offer the highest standards of design to ensure a building that is sustainable now and in the future.
Additionally, £500,000 will be invested to complete a section of the Leyland Loop cycleway, at no cost to the public purse. The money will be put towards a new and improved shared footpath and cycleway.
Improved public rights of way and the addition of a green infrastructure network will improve access to the development and encourage workers and visitors to the site to consider other means of transport, rather than be car dependent
To encourage sustainable travel and healthier lifestyles, £60,000 will be invested into secure cycle storage and shower facilities at the site. Additionally, 10% of car parking spaces will include electric charging points fitted as a standard, as well as cabling to allow an increase in charging points as demand increases.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
ENVIRONMENT
The proposals include a large area of ecological enhancement. This will not only improve the ecological characteristics of the site but also create accessible areas to allow those who currently use the site to continue to do so in a more convenient way. This green open space will also be available for residents, current employees in the wider area, and future employees of this development to enjoy.
All necessary ecological assessments have been undertaken. There are no statutory designations within the site, however we are aware of its proximity to areas of ecological importance such as local woodland and the river. Against this background, the development takes into consideration these constraints and mitigates any impact, consequently the scheme will result in an overall net-gain in biodiversity.
Most of the site falls within Flood Zone 1, with some small pockets falling within Flood Zone 2. A full Flood Risk Assessment was submitted with the Outline planning application to fully demonstrate how surface water will be managed appropriately on site. The strategy incorporates significant new drainage ponds which will store water and manage the onward discharge of water to an agreed appropriate rate. The drainage pond also presents an excellent opportunity for further ecological enhancement.
Further to the outline submission, the drainage strategy has been refined to take a watercourse out of an existing concrete culvert to create a new section of open river. This will significantly increase flood storage capacity, slow down the flow of water into the River Lostock and provide an excellent opportunity to further enhance the ecology of the area.
Overall, the revised masterplan has significant benefits in flood risk and drainage terms.
The access strategy for the site has been developed to encourage vehicles to approach the site from the north and via junction 29 of the M6, rather than from the south or through Leyland where congestion and air quality is an accepted constraint. Electric Vehicle charging points will be provided to encourage use of cleaner transportation options.
Comprehensive improvements to pedestrian and cycle routes on site were also secured through the Outline application, which alongside on-site cycle storage and strong public transport links, will encourage employees to use sustainable forms of transports, rather than relying on private vehicles.
The site is in a highly sustainable location due to its proximity to existing transport networks, such as local walkways, cycleways which link to residential areas, as well as the local bus network and train station. In addition, we will improve existing footpaths, create safe and accessible new routes through the site, and deliver a substantial area of open space to encourage local people to continue using the site for recreational purposes. It is envisaged that both of these factors will encourage local people to access the site on foot and bike, or via public transport, to reduce car usage across the local area.
The sustainability of the development has been, fully considered throughout the design process and the proposals have been fully assessed against BREEAM criteria to certify their sustainability across of range of environmental issues.
A significant landscaping buffer will be established to the south of this part of the site, and the strategy was submitted and approved as part of the Phase One application. Nevertheless, we will be enhancing this further by increasing the number of new mature trees and shrubs. This substantial area of planting will also act as screen and buffer, which will become more and more significant over time.
The Public Right of Way (RROW) which runs through the site will be retained albeit with a slight realignment. The PRoW will also be improved and widened to a 3m tarmac surface with lighting along the path. On completion this will allow for year-round use by pedestrians and cyclists and ensure interconnectivity for residents accessing Farington and the wider area.
Additionally, the planning permission already in place for the wider site commits to provide additional walking routes through the site which will also take in an ecological and habitat enhancement area, presenting an attractive environment and offering improved biodiversity to support local wildlife.
TRAFFIC AND HIGHWAYS
The proposals will create near identical levels of traffic as in the consented scheme. A full Transport Assessment was submitted alongside the planning application, which set out that vehicular access was taken via the A582. The main site access is taken off Sustainability Way and a secondary access is taken from Centurion Way, providing access to only the south-eastern development parcel.
THE PROPOSALS AND DESIGN
The first of the planning permissions at the employment site (07/2020/00781/OUT) sets a maximum building height which must be respected. In this part of the site this maximum height is 15m. Full details will be submitted as part of the application; however, it is currently anticipated that the buildings proposed will be 10m to the underside of haunch and therefore sit comfortably within this maximum parameter.
Construction will only take place during standard working hours and details are to be controlled by a ‘Construction Environmental Management Plan’.
Once the units are built and occupied, they are intended to be accessed and operated on a 24-hour basis. This is a pre-requisite from modern businesses occupying new industrial premises and something we are required to accommodate. However, it is something which can only be considered appropriate following extensive testing of potential noise impact throughout the day and night. Through that testing, our proposals will be refined and mitigation provided mitigation such specialist acoustic fencing sitting alongside the landscaped buffer, provided where necessary.
We are currently reviewing all feedback received during the consultation ahead of submitting the final plans to South Ribble Council. If the application is approved, we would look to begin construction this year depending up on when planning permission is received with completion of the plans expected in 2023 for the new occupiers.
CONSULTATION
Caddick Developments is preparing to submit a Planning Application in Summer 2022. Prior to this, we are engaging with the local community to seek their thoughts on the proposals and answer any questions they may have about the plans. All feedback received will be reviewed in detail and will help inform the plans
You can provide feedback in the following ways:
- Speaking with a member of the team by calling 0800 652 9460, Monday to Friday, 9am – 5.30pm (Calls to this number are free, but calls from a mobile phone to this number may be charged at a higher rate) to speak with a member of the development team to discuss the plans further.
- Emailing us with your comments, questions or feedback at faringtonemploymentland@njlconsulting.co.uk
- Completing the ‘Get in Touch’ form below if you would prefer a member of the project team to reach out to you.
Please submit your comments no later than Monday, 11th July to ensure that your feedback will be taken into consideration ahead of an application being submitted to South Ribble Borough Council.
We look forward to hearing your views and listening to your feedback.
Get in Touch
If you would like a member of the project team to contact you directly please provide us with your contact details via the form below
ABOUT US
Caddick Developments is a privately owned, multi-sector property developer, creating high-quality places and spaces across the UK.
Our business specialises in the acquisition, development, construction and management of commercial, residential and city centre regeneration projects across the UK.
Caddick Group is traditionally Yorkshire based, but we also have Development and Construction offices in the North-West where we are involved in a range of projects. We take pride in being a family business, as well as a proven and responsible developer. We are committed to delivery of all projects that we progress planning applications on, and have the full intention of delivering the benefits of the scheme for local people at the earliest opportunity.