Published Friday 5 February 2021 at 14:27
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council is to invest in a new joint venture company to acquire and secure a major brownfield redevelopment site in Blackburn Town Centre, once occupied by Thwaites Brewery.
The Council will consider proposals at next week’s Executive Board Meeting whether to co-fund a land purchase to promote further regeneration of the site and to support the Borough’s post Covid recovery plans and continue the regeneration of the Town Centre site.
The plans would also see the preservation of the historic Fleece Pub on the edge of the site.
Details of the proposal will go before the Executive Board on 11th February, after which the deal will proceed if approved.
If approved, the Council and Maple Grove Developments Ltd will work in partnership to create a renewal strategy for the 7-acre site and prepare the site for redevelopment through a new joint venture company.
Thwaites vacated the site in 2018 when the business relocated to new purpose-built premises. Demolition of the brewery buildings subsequently commenced and site clearance was completed in 2020.
The Maple Grove Joint Venture will help to ensure the site is master planned and delivered to maximise positive outcomes for the local area, and also allows a holistic strategy to be developed, to include the adjacent Council-owned former Blackburn Markets site and other Council assets in the area.
The site has the potential to have a significant impact on boosting the vitality and vibrancy of Blackburn Town Centre, providing opportunities for a range of redevelopment options including land for new businesses, leisure or housing, and inward investment for the Borough. It’s one of the key highlights of the Council’s draft new Local Plan which is open for consultation until 19th February.
Cllr Riley, the Council’s Executive Member for Growth & Development, said:
This is great news for Blackburn Town Centre. The joint venture will ensure we can facilitate comprehensive development across the former Thwaites site and other Council land assets.
Thwaites’ has a long-standing history with the borough, of which we are very proud. Thousands of our borough’s residents and family members will have worked or will know someone who has worked for Thwaites over its 200 years. We want to preserve those links and recognise the legacy they leave with the borough.
Jim Francis, Property Director for Daniel Thwaites, said:
We are particularly pleased to be working towards securing new owners for our old brewery site in Blackburn, who can realise its potential for the future and create a new era for it, in its central position within the town.
Cllr Riley added:
This plan also demonstrates the Council’s strong commitment to brownfield regeneration and will also help us to preserve the historic Fleece Pub on the edge of the site. This project is crucial to the borough’s post-COVID recovery and I look forward to seeing it progress.
Andrew Dewhurst, Development Director for Maple Grove, said:
We look forward to bringing our expertise to this flagship site.
We have a longstanding relationship with the Council and are proud to be playing a part in attracting new opportunities to the area.
Simon Jones, Growth Programme Director for the Council, welcomed the joint venture approach and added:
The Council is excited to be helping to bring this major opportunity forward and deliver on one of our new Big 6 initiatives from our emerging local plan.