Botany Hill Business Park – FI Real Estate Management

Welcome

Following requests from ward councillors and some members of the local community, and further to extensive historic consultation on the Chorley Local Plan and planning applications for the subject and nearly sites for a range of major developments reflecting the site’s allocation for development in the local plan, FIREM carried out additional dedicated public consultation on its proposals for the Botany Hill site on Wednesday 4th October 2023. This was through a manned exhibition and also an on-line exhibition. In addition, FIREM presented to and discussed its proposals with ward councillors and the county councillor on Thursday 21st September 2023. Complementing this, a focused session involving team members from FIREM and members of its advisory team took place with community representatives on 13th October 2023.

Collectively, the effects of the overall consultation exercises enabled FIREM to gain a better understanding of the key concerns of the majority of those members of the local community who took part in the recent consultation exercises.

Key concerns expressed through all of the sessions, and it should be noted that these generally reflected comments made though earlier consultation events, are outlined in the board below.

To address these concerns FIREM amended its proposals accordingly – also detailed in the board below. It should be noted that some changes have already been agreed as they reflected amendments requested by planning officers dealing with the planning application.

The revised scheme is the version that will be determined.

The Proposal

Our proposals will support the Chorley Local Plan strategic allocation of the land as part of a mixed-use employment and residential area and providing opportunity for new jobs in a high quality development.

A total of 75 modern, high-quality employment units across 16 blocks shall be built in a range of small and medium size premises; ranging from 750 sqft / 69 sqm to 5,500 sqft / 511 sqm, with a handful of larger units.

The purpose for the range of units is to accommodate business start-ups and support their future growth through adaptable and flexible units and lease arrangements. These proposals will complement larger scale business units under-construction at Botany Bay Business Park.

Arrangement of the units is focused on larger scale units to the lower area of the site adjacent to the site entrance off A674, with medium and small scale units moving up the site. The upper terrace will be set down below the level of Blackburn Road as part of accommodating the development into the hillside.

Vehicular access will only come off the A674 to the east via a new priority junction. Additional cycle and pedestrian access will be provided off Blackburn Road to the east upper level of the site. Impact on the wider highway network of additional vehicles has been assessed in consultation with Lancashire County Council and National Highways, and there is an agreed set of improvements that will support this proposal, the Botany Bay Business Park under-construction and the two other allocate development sites.

The existing site are grazing fields. A suite of ecology surveys has been undertaken and appropriate mitigation measures will be undertaken including bat and bird boxes, green roofs, offsite pond formation, treatment and eradication of invasive species and securing a Biodiversity Net Gain of 10% over baseline.

Our proposals will provide in the region of 163 FTE construction jobs with skills and training opportunities provided for local people and apprenticeships, worth £7.8m to the local economy.

Long-term the development may support 392 FTE permanent jobs worth £14.3m to the local economy, in addition to business rate payments of £1.9m annually to Chorley Council.

Providing Feedback

Everyone is welcome to submit comments/support via the form at the bottom of this page, or via email on [email protected]

Alternatively you can send comments directly to Chorley Council via its Planning Portal https://chorley.gov.uk/article/1493/View-or-comment-on-a-planning-application – please search for the application reference 22/01243/FUL and follow the online instructions.

Consultation Boards

Individual boards can be viewed and downloaded below.

Response to public consultation

Download PDF

Local Plan 2015 Extract

Download PDF

Botany Hill Proposed Employment

Proposed Layout

Section Plan

Proposed Visual

Proposed Visuals - Blackburn Road

Download PDF

Completed FIREM Developments

Landscape & Ecology

Transport Plan

Summary

Comments

Feedback Form

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